1. How Meaning similarity affects translation-ambiguous word
learning and processing
Ruby Slabicki, Chelsea Eddington, & Natasha Tokowicz
Introduction
Methods
Discussion
Results cont’d
References
Acknowledgments
Translation Ambiguity
When a word in one language can be translated into more than one translation in
another language
Translation Ambiguity affects learning and processing
• Ambiguous words are translated more slowly and less accurately (e.g., Tokowicz
& Kroll)
• Slows down translation recognition (e.g., Eddington & Tokowicz, 2013; Laxén &
Lavaur, 2010)
• More difficult to learn (e.g., Degani & Tokowicz, 2010).
• Different types of translation-ambiguous words are learned and processed
differently (e.g., Degani & Tokowicz, 2010; Laxén & Lavaur, 2010)
Semantic Ambiguity affects within language processing
• Polysemous words are responded to faster than homonyms and unambiguous
words (e.g., Rodd et al., 2002)
• Homonyms are responded to more slowly in semantic decisions than
unambiguous words (e.g., Hino et al., 2002)
Participants
• 44 native English speakers
Materials
• 60 English words(10 near-synonyms, 10 polysemes, 10 homonyms, 30
translation-unambiguous) and 10 German translations
• 30 ambiguous and unambiguous fillers (10 highly overlapping meanings, 10
moderately overlapping meaning)
Design
• 4 vocabulary word type (polysemous-, homonymous-, synonym-translation
ambiguous words, translation unambiguous words) x 3 test time
(immediate, delayed, longer delay) within subjects
Tasks and Vocabulary Testing
• Lexical decision task
• L2-L1 translation production task
• Semantic relatedness task
• Decide if German-English word pairs are semantically-related (e.g. Tree –
Baumstamm), translation equivalents (e.g., Trunk – Baumstamm), or
incorrect translation pairs (e.g., Fruit – Baumstamm)
Homonym:
Trunk
Car
Kofferraum
Tree
Baumstamm
Synonym:
Fruit
Obst Frucht
Degani T., Tokowicz, N. (2010). Ambiguous words are harder to learn. Bilingualism: Language and
Cognition, 13, 299-314.
Eddington, C.M., Tokowicz, N. (2013). Examining English-German translation ambiguity using primed
translation recognition. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, First View, 442-457.
Eddington, C. M., Degani, T., & Tokowicz, N. (2014). English and German translation norms: Examining
ambiguity and semantic variability of translations across proficiency levels. Manuscript in revision.
Laxén, J., & Lavaur, J.M. (2010). The role of semantics in translation recognition: Effects of number of
translations, dominance of translations and semantic relatedness of multiple translations.
Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 13(2), 157-183.
Rodd, J., Gaskell, G., Marslen-Wilson, W. (2002). Making Sense of Semantic Ambiguity: Semantic
Competition in Lexical Access. Journal of Memory and Language, 46, 245-266.
Tokowicz, N., & Kroll, J. F. (2007). Number of meanings and concreteness: Consequences of ambiguity
within and across languages. Language and Cognitive Processes, 22, 727-779.
Session 1
• Consent
• Lexical Decision
• German Vocabulary
training
• German Vocabulary
testing
Session 2 (2 days later)
• German Vocabulary
Testing
• Germany training
Session 3(1 week later)
• German Vocabulary
Testing
• Individual Difference
Tasks
• Lexical Decision
Polyseme:
Paper
Wrapping
Papier
Essay
Aufsatz
I would like to thank the members of the PLUM lab for their research assistance
especially Natasha Tokowicz, my advisor, and Chelsea Eddington, my mentor.
Results
Q1: Are polysemous, homonymous, and synonym translation-ambiguous
words learned and processed differently?
Yes and no.
Different types of translation ambiguous words lead to different patterns of
results across tasks.
Translation unambiguous words, polysemous, and synonym type translation-
ambiguous words were responded to more quickly and more accurately than
homonym type translation-ambiguous words.
Q2: Will translations-ambiguous words due to homonymy lead to a
disadvantage in semantic processing?
Yes.
Homonym translation-ambiguous words were responded to more slowly and
less accurately during the semantic relatedness task.
Research Questions
Q1: Are polysemous, homonymous, and synonym translation-ambiguous
words learned and processed differently?
Q2: Will translations-ambiguous words due to homonymy lead to a
disadvantage in semantic processing?
.000
.050
.100
.150
.200
.250
.300
.350
.400
Homonym Polyseme Synonym Unambiguous
ProportionofCorrectResponses
Word Types
Session 1 Session 2
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
homonym polyseme synonym unambiguous
MeanReactionTime(ms)
Word Types
related translation unrelated
.00
.10
.20
.30
.40
.50
.60
.70
.80
.90
1.00
homonym polyseme synonym unambiguous
Proportionofcorrectresponses
Word Types
related translation unrelated
L2 L1 Translation - Accuracy
Semantic Relatedness - Reaction Time
Semantic Relatedness - AccuracyFree Recall
.000
.050
.100
.150
.200
.250
.300
Session 2 Session 3
ProportionofCorrectResponses
Word Types
Homonym Polyseme Synonym Unambiguous