Between anaphora and deixis...the resolution of the demonstrative noun-phrase ‘that N’

Three experiments examined the hypothesis that the demonstrative noun phrase (NP) that N, as an anadeictic expression, preferentially refers to the less salient referent in a discourse representation when used anaphorically, whereas the anaphoric pronoun he or she preferentially refers to the highly-focused referent. The findings, from a sentence completion task and two reading time experiments that used gender to create ambiguous and unambiguous coreference, reveal that the demonstrative NP specifically orients processing toward a less salient referent when there is no gender cue discriminating between different possible referents. These findings show the importance of taking into account the discourse function of the anaphor itself and its influence on the process of searching for the referent

Characterization methods dedicated to nanometer-thick hBN layers

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) regains interest as a strategic component in graphene engineering and in van der Waals heterostructures built with two dimensional materials. It is crucial then, to handle reliable characterization techniques capable to assess the quality of structural and electronic properties of the hBN material used. We present here characterization procedures based on optical spectroscopies, namely cathodoluminescence and Raman, with the additional support of structural analysis conducted by transmission electron microscopy. We show the capability of optical spectroscopies to investigate and benchmark the optical and structural properties of various hBN thin layers sources

Knowledge likely held by others affects speakers’ choices of referential expressions at different stages of discourse

Effective communication requires adjusting one’s discourse to be understood by the addressee. While some suggest that choices of referring expressions are dependent on the addressee’s accessibility to the referent, there is also evidence for an egocentric bias in speech production. This study relied on two new experimental tasks designed to assess whether speakers adapt their choices of referential expressions when introducing movie characters that are either likely known or likely unknown by their addressee, and when maintaining or reintroducing these characters at a later point in the discourse. Results revealed an adjustment to the addressee in the use of character’s names (increased for likely known characters) and definite expressions (increased for likely unknown characters) observed at all the discourse stages. Use of indefinite expressions and names was affected by the participant’s own knowledge specifically when introducing the characters. These results indicate that speakers take their addressee’s likely knowledge into account at multiple discourse stages

Adjustment of speaker’s referential expressions to an addressee’s likely knowledge and link with theory of mind abilities

To communicate cooperatively, speakers must determine what constitutes the common ground with their addressee and adapt their referential choices accordingly. Assessing another person’s knowledge requires a social cognition ability termed theory of mind (ToM). This study relies on a novel referential communication task requiring probabilistic inferences of the knowledge already held by an addressee prior to the study. Forty participants were asked to present 10 movie characters and the addressee, who had the same characters in a random order, was asked to place them in order. ToM and other aspects of social cognition were also assessed. Participants used more information when presenting likely unknown than likely known movie characters. They particularly increased their use of physical descriptors, which most often accompanied movie-related information. Interestingly, a significant relationship emerged between our ToM test and the increased amount of information given for the likely unknown characters. These results suggest that speakers use ToM to infer their addressee’s likely knowledge and accordingly adapt their referential expressions

Le motif « vieille » dans la toponymie de l’aire celtique

Le motif linguistique « vieille (femme) » est omniprésent en toponymie, littérature orale et en sémantique lexicale. Son étude met en avant des concordances entre des aires culturelles et linguistiques différentes, notamment via l’élaboration d’une méthode de recherche et de traitement de données ethno-linguistiques.Il existe une centaine de noms de lieux bretons de type Gr(o)ac’h, (G)wrac’h, Vr(o)ach, Gr(o)ah « Vieille » : Croas ar Vroac'h « Croix de la Vieille », Kergwrac'h « Village ou Maison de la Vieille », Ar Wrac'h « La Vieille » (un écueil), Porz-Grac’h « Port de la Vieille », Guernégrouac’h « Marais de la Vieille » mais aussi Men-er-Grah « Pierre de la Vieille », Bez ar Wrac'h « Tombeau de la Vieille » (deux mégalithes). Il en existe près d’un millier dans les Îles Britanniques : Hag's Teeth « Dents de la Vieille », Coomcallee « Vallée de la Vieille » ou encore Carn na Caillich « Cairn de la Vieille ».Que revêt cette appellation « Vieille » évoquant, dans certaines légendes celtiques, une géante transportant des rochers dans son tablier ? Comment interpréter le fait que son nom soit attribué à des animaux, des plantes ou à des phénomènes atmosphériques ? Une approche pluridisciplinaire permettra d’éclaircir la persistance de cette dénomination.The ‘hag’ linguistic motif is omnipresent in toponymy, oral literature and lexical semantics. Research has highlighted concordances between different cultural and linguistic areas, notably through the development of a method for researching and processing ethnolinguistic data.There are around a hundred Breton place names featuring this motif in the forms Gr(o)ac’h, (G)wrac’h, Vr(o)ac’h and Gr(o)ah, such as Croas ar Vroac’h ‘hag’s cross’, Kergwrac’h ‘hag’s village/house’, Ar Wrac’h ‘the hag’ (an obstacle), Porz-Grac’h ‘hag’s pass’, Guernégrouac’h ‘hag’s bog’, and in the forms Men-er-Grah ‘hag’s rock’ and Bez ar Wrac’h ‘hag’s tomb’ (two megaliths). The motif also appears in nearly a thousand place names in the British Isles, such as Hag’s Teeth, Coomcallee ‘hag’s valley’ and Carn na Caillich ‘hag’s cairn’.What does the appellation ‘hag’, which alludes in some Celtic legends to a giantess carrying rocks in her apron, conjure up? How do we interpret the fact that it is attributed to animals, plants and atmospheric phenomena? A multidisciplinary approach helps to shed light on the persistence of this appellation