The Effecof Meaning Frequency and Context on Accessing Different Types of Polysemy

Abstract

"This study aims to demystify the effects of meaning frequency and context on accessing different types of polysemous words. The researcher improvised two types of tests. While test 1 measured the effects of meaning frequency in nondisambiguating contexts, test 2 examined the effects of meaning frequency and context under the constraint of disambiguating contexts. Eighteen senior EFL students were invited to participate in the tests which include the three-stage procedure, encompassing translating sentences using the think-aloud protocol, reflecting on the meaning(s) that appeared in mind, and considering the levels of frequency of those meaning(s). While performing the tests, they had to report cognitive processes for accessing meanings. The results from both tests showed that meaning frequency and context influenced meaning access models. Concerning the meaning frequency, the researcher found that high-frequency meanings were activated through different access models whilst the low-frequency meanings were chiefly associated with the generative lexicon. Similarly, there were differences between the disambiguating contexts and non-disambiguating contexts. It showed that context effects were clearly illustrated through the prior priming effects toward the selective access model, indicating the effects of context on access models. Furthermore, the paradigms of meaning access models between metonymically and metaphorically polysemous words shared some similarities."