Semantic Effects and Image Schema in the Sentence Processing of Polysemous Phrasal Verbs

The present study adopted a self-paced reading paradigm to explore the influence of semantic variables and image schema on the processing of polysemous phrasal verbs by Chinese EFL learners.The experiment was a 2(semantic transparency:literary vs.figurative) x 2(semantic familiarity:familiar vs.unfamiliar) x 3(image schema:congruent,incongrunet vs.unrelated) multifactorial mixed design.The phrasal verbs and sentences were chosen from PHaVE list,BNC,and COCA corpora.The results showed that participants processed significantly faster with familiar phrasal verbs than with unfamiliar meanings,whereas they were not sensitive to the degree of semantic transparency of literal-figurative meanings in the processing of phrasal verbs.Image schemas congruent with meanings of particles facilitated activation of the particles,and interacted significantly with semantic transparency and semantic familiarity,indicating the processing complexity of polysemous phrasal verbs.