This book aims to contribute to a growing interest amongst psycholinguists and morphologists in the mechanisms of meaning predictability. It presents a brand-new model of the meaning-prediction of novel, context-free naming units, relating the wordformation and wordinterpretation processes. Unlike previous studies, mostly focussed on N+N compounds, the scope of this book is much wider. It not only covers all types of complex words, but also discusses a whole range of predictability-boosting and -reducing conditions. Two measures are introduced, the Predictability Rate and the Objectified Predictability Rate, in order to compare the strength of predictable readings both within a word and relative to the most predictable readings of other coinages. Four extensive experiments indicate inter alia the equal predicting capacity of native and non-native speakers, the close interconnection between linguistic and extra-linguistic factors, the important role of prototypical semes, and the usual dominance of a single central reading.

Table of contents

Acknowledgements xi List of Abbreviations xiii Introduction xv–xxiii 1. Literature survey 1–42 2. General word formation framework 43–54 3. A theory of predictability 55–98 4. The Experiments 99–240 5. Conclusions 241–263 Notes 265–273 References 275–282 Author Index 283–284 Subject Index 285–288

"This book is an admirable achievement in providing its readers with an exemplary combination of theoretical and extensive empirical, experimental research. It definitely represents a model for a modern, cutting-edge, non-ideological approach to a central area of the semantics and productive WF of English vocabulary and dynamic lexicology generally, from a realistic, cognitive and dynamic perspective which can easily be applied to other languages as well. It is rooted in the best tradition of modern European and American linguistics in which theoretical hypotheses and postulates are objectively verified in linguistic reality and its function as NUs." Leonhard Lipka, University of Munich

"Stekauer's book is a highly interesting and original contribution to questions dealing with meaning predictability and word formation. The book is very well-written and provides an excellent and detailed overview of the relevant literature. Stekauers' approach will certainly stimulate new research in the field. The book will attract readers with an interest in such different fields as morphology, lexical semantics, cognitive linguistics, psycholinguistics and pragmatics." Jan Don, University of Amsterdam