Smolka, E. & Eulitz, C.
Department of Linguistics, University of Konstanz, Germany
Given that in languages like English morphological facilitation occurs only if words are semantically transparent, current models on lexical representation are based on meaning compositionality: Morphologically complex words are represented via their base, only if they are semantically transparent, otherwise they must be represented as whole words. However, recent findings in German (similar to those in Hebrew and Arabic) have demonstrated morphological facilitation by complex words that are not semantically transparent (VERSTEHEN-stehen, ‘UNDERSTAND-stand’), indicating that they, too, are represented via their base. The aim of this study was to examine (1) whether lexical representation in German is symmetrical, i.e., whether base verbs, semantically transparent and opaque derivations facilitate each other to the same degree, and (2) how the meaning of transparent and opaque words is assembled. Three cross-modal priming experiments were conducted to tap into lexical processing. Experiment 1 compared the priming (relative to form-controls) by semantically transparent (BEWERFEN, ‘pelt’) or opaque (ENTWERFEN, ‘design’) derivations to their base (werfen, ‘throw’); Experiment 2 contrasted the priming by the base to its semantically transparent or opaque derivations; Experiment 3 examined the priming by semantically transparent to opaque derivations and vice versa. Most importantly, transparent and opaque derivations yielded priming in all three experiments, though priming patterns were not symmetrical. In Experiment 1, semantically transparent derivations induced stronger priming to the base than opaque derivations did. In Experiment 2, the base primed semantically transparent and opaque derivations to the same degree. In Experiment 3, semantically transparent derivations were more strongly facilitated by their opaque relative than vice versa. Altogether, these findings indicate that morphologically complex verbs in German are represented via their base regardless of meaning compositionality. However, meaning assembly is asymmetrical, with faster meaning assembly for semantically transparent than for semantically opaque words. A model of lexical representations in German is discussed.