Separate, Combined or Parallel Routes? An Interdisciplinary Approach to Complex Word Processing

与所有当前的文字处理模型相比，我的哲学博士论文（Schwarz&Post, In prep.）的结果表明，即使对不规则的复杂单词（例如children作为单词child的不规则复数），也会尝试分解。这就需要对过去的研究进行重新评估，并建立一个新的模型来弥补理论语言学和语言心理学之间的差距。特别是，关于形态系统的语言学理论，以前被忽略了，应该被更彻底地考虑，因为它们对心理表征的本质做出了相互矛盾的预测。在我的哲学硕士论文中，我提出了一个新的文字处理模型，它允许并行激活多个同时处理路线——一个与当前模型不一致的图像。我的目标是推进这个模型，并测试是否以及如何触发和执行单词分解。为此，我将把心理语言学模型与一系列行为和神经学实验结合起来，研究复杂单词的可能“路径”或访问机制。我希望我的研究项目能够为语言规则和符号的心理和生物学现实带来新的见解，并改进现有的处理模型。研究结果可用于优化文本的可理解性，更好地理解语言障碍，改进语言治疗。

In contrast to all current models of word processing, the results of my MPhil dissertation (Schwarz&Post, in prep.)suggest that decomposition is attempted even for irregular complex words (e.g. children as the irregular plural of theword child). This poses the need for a re-evaluation of past research and the establishment of a new model that bridgesthe current gap between theoretical linguistics and language psychology. In particular, linguistic theories about themorphological system, which have been ignored previously, should be considered more thoroughly, as they makeconflicting predictions about the nature of mental representations. In my MPhil dissertation I proposed a new wordprocessing model that allows for parallel activation of multiple simultaneous processing routes - an image that does notconcur with current models. My aim is to advance this model and to test if and how decomposition of words is triggeredand executed. For this, I will combine psycholinguistic modeling with a series of behavioural and neurologicalexperiments that examine the possible 'routes' or access mechanisms of complex words. I hope that my research projectwill bring new insight into the psychological and biological reality of linguistic rules and symbols as well as improvecurrent processing models. The findings can be applied to optimise the comprehensibility of texts, better understandlanguage-impairments, and improve language therapy.