Exploring Symmetry in Language: Cognitive Insights from an Eye-Tracking Study

At the Language Learning Lab, I recently presented our findings (joint work with Heesu Yun, Barbara Landau and John Trueswell, on how adults process symmetry in language in real-time. Using eye-tracking, we examined the influence of syntax and lexical semantics on interpreting symmetrical structures in spoken sentences.

Key insights include:

• Syntax often introduces asymmetries in meaning, even for terms with symmetrical semantics like “meet” and “agree.”
• Our eye-tracking data showed rapid responses to syntactic cues, indicating an intuitive process of interpreting symmetry.
• The study demonstrates the crucial role of syntax in initial interpretations of language symmetry, with lexical semantics playing a secondary role.

This research contributes to our understanding of cognitive processes in language comprehension and opens new avenues for exploring abstract concepts in language.