Objective
Languages always change, and existing words are constantly combined into novel combinations such as ‘trout pout’ or ‘bucket list’. Surprisingly, little is known about the actual processes and resources humans use to understand these novel combinations. This project will investigate a central question in the field of linguistics, namely the extent to which people rely on inherent meanings of words in combination (lexical semantics), compared with the extent to which they infer meaning from context (pragmatics). The interdisciplinary nature of the project is strong. It will use a combination of psycholinguistic techniques, with big data from corpus linguistics to empirically test hypotheses derived from state-of-the-art accounts in theoretical linguistics. Firstly, a questionnaire study will establish the extent to which people vary in their interpretation of different noun-noun combinations, and what determines the degree of variation. The study will innovatively use a large semantically annotated dataset to generate representative experimental items. Secondly, advanced eye-tracking technology will be used to investigate how these combinations fare when presented in contexts that either support or do not support a dominant interpretation. Together, the results of the two studies will shed light on the balance of word meaning and context in the interpretation of new combinations and either confirm or refute the underlying assumptions of competing semantic theories. The results will be of benefit in applications such as the automatic processing and translation of human language, and the assessment of misleading language usage, e.g. in advertising. They will also benefit theoretical linguists and psycholinguists, by showing how insights from each area can fruitfully be applied to the other. For the researcher, the project offers an invaluable opportunity to train in cutting-edge empirical techniques and gain skills in public engagement and research communication.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- humanities languages and literature general language studies
- humanities languages and literature linguistics
- natural sciences computer and information sciences databases
- natural sciences computer and information sciences data science big data
- social sciences psychology psycholinguistics
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2016
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
CM1 1SQ Chelmsford
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.