Modifier Attachment in German: Relative Clauses and Prepositional Phrases

Abstract In this chapter, we present new results from an eye-tracking experiment on NP1–NP2-modifier attachment in German. We will focus on attachment preferences across modifier types, namely relative clauses (RCs) and semantically highly comparable prepositional phrases (PPs), showing that different preferences hold for these two types of constructions. Whereas PP attachment follows recency-based principles, resulting in low attachment, RCs are preferentially attached high. These data provide an on-line confirmation of results from various questionnaire studies presented in Hemforth, Konieczny and Scheepers (in press; see also Hemforth, Konieczny and Scheepers, 1994). Furthermore, the effects for RCs and PPs showed up most clearly either in regression-sensitive (regression path durations) and regression-insensitive (first-pass reading times) measures, respectively. To provide the means for analysing the re-reading process, we established a new measure (load contribution).

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