Pronoun interpretation in explanatory sentences
Contributors: Snedeker, Jesse; Pinker, Steven; Carey, Susan; Tenenbaum (outside examiner), Joshua
Published: 2012
Language: eng
Description: While the referent of a non-reflexive pronoun clearly depends on context, the nature of these contextual restrictions is controversial. The present study seeks to characterize one representation that guides pronoun resolution. In causal dependant clauses, the preferred referent of a pronoun varies systematically with the verb in the main clause (contrast Sally frightened Mary because she... with Sally feared Mary because she...), a phenomenon known as "implicit causality". A number of researchers have tried to explain and predict such biases with reference to semantic classes of verbs and linguistic structure. However, the classes and representations invoked have been partly ad hoc and fitted to the phenomenon itself. In this dissertation, evidence is presented that an independently-motivated semantic theory accounts for many known and new phenomena in implicit causality.
Notes: Keywords: implicit causality, language, pronouns, psycholinguistics.

Thesis Ph.D. Harvard University 2012