Rational Encoding and Decoding of Referring Expressions (C03)

• Subject Area: General and Comparative Linguistics, Experimental Linguistics, Typology, Non-European Languages
• Term: since 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 232722074

C3 examines the role of information-theoretic explanations regarding linearization preferences in the production and comprehension of referential expressions. We aim to identify a mechanistic account of the interaction between production and comprehension systems, informed by behavioural and neurophysiological experiments that examine rational strategies underlying online encoding and decoding of referring expressions. We moreover investigate the extent to which linearisation preferences for encoding are derived from information structure may be partly explained by Uniform Information Density (UID).

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1102: Information Density and Linguistic Encoding
• Applicant Institution: Universität des Saarlandes
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Matthew W. Crocker; Dr. Heiner Drenhaus; Professor Dr. Ingo Reich, until 6/2018; Dr. Noortje Venhuizen, Ph.D.