Pagliarini, Vernice, & Guasti (2025). Online processing of wh-questions in Italian: evidence from eye tracking

Autors:

Pagliarini, Vernice, & Guasti

Títol:

Online processing of wh-questions in Italian: evidence from eye tracking

Editorial: Language, Cognition and Neuroscience
Data de publicació: 12-05-2025
Pàgines: 14

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This study investigates the processing of subject and object direct questions headed by wh-elements such as chi (i.e. who) and quale-NP (i.e. which-NP) in Italian, a pro-drop language that allows post-verbal subjects. In Italian, chi and quale-NP questions are ambiguous: they can be interpreted as either subject or object, in the absence of morphological or pragmatic disambiguation. Using eye tracking techniques, we explore how different types of wh-elements (chi vs. quale-NP) and extraction sites (subject vs. object) are processed when disambiguated by number verbal agreement. A distinct processing pattern emerges between chi and quale-NP questions: while quale-NP questions generally demand more cognitive effort when encountering the verb, chi questions necessitate increased processing during post-verbal NP integration. Additionally, a wh-subject extraction preference is observed, which reflects an active gap filling strategy across types of wh-elements. These findings are discussed in terms of the processing mechanisms underlying the elaboration of wh-questions.