Resolving Semantic Ambiguities in Sentences
Cognitive Processes and Brain Mechanisms
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4441483 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Sylvia Vitello (0000-0002-9495-9460, University College London), Jennifer M Rodd (0000-0002-8608-7244, University College London, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2015 |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue | 10 |
| Pages | 391-405 |
| Publication date | 2015-10-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Language and Linguistics Compass (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1749-818X • E-ISSN: 1749-818X |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/lnc3.12160 |
| OpenAlex | W1792380794 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 12 |
| References cited | 94 |
Functional MRI studies of how the brain processes sentences containing semantically ambiguous words have consistently implicated (i) the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) and (ii) posterior regions of the left temporal lobe in processing high-ambiguity sentences. This article reviews recent findings on this topic and relates them to (i) psycholinguistic theories about the underlying cognitive processes and (ii) general neuro-cognitive accounts of the relevant brain regions. We suggest that the LIFG plays a general role in the cognitive control processes that are necessary to select contextually relevant meanings and to reinterpret sentences that were initially misunderstood, but it is currently unclear whether these control processes should best be characterised in terms of specific processes such as conflict resolution and controlled retrieval that are required for high-ambiguity sentences, or whether its function is better characterised in terms of a more general set of 'unification' processes. In contrast to the relatively rapid progress that has been made in understanding the function of the LIFG, we suggest that the contribution of the posterior temporal lobe is less well understood and future work is needed to clarify its role in sentence comprehension
Ambiguity · Ambiguity Resolution · Cognition · Cognitive psychology · Cognitive science · Comprehension · Linguistics · Natural language processing · Semantic memory · Sentence · Sentence processing · Computer Science · Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies · Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism · Neuroscience · Psychology · Reading and Literacy Development · Artificial Intelligence
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| Citations per year | 1.5 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2018 - 2026 (9) |
| Highly cited | No |