Abstract

Seeminglysimpn expglyb?j3 may require an enriched form ofinterpb(59#IA pterpb(59 Verbs like began and finished can be used felicitously only when one of their arguments denotes an event (e.g., reading). However, such verbs commonlyapmon with nounpunb9U whose literalinterp5#A33b(5 denote entities (e.g., the book). It has been suggested that readers and listeners have to undertake additional comptionalb to interpb( strings like began the book that are not required when the book isinterpb(9A as an entity (e.g., Pustejovsky, 1995). If so, began the book should be harder topb559A than strings like read the book, when the verbdoes not require an argument that denotes an event, or strings like began the fight, when the argument denotes an event.Exp.bjAAW 1 found evidence from eye movements showing that entity nounpunbA3 take longer topbjUI? following verbs that require event arguments than verbs that do not.

Citations