Second language learners’ interpretation of reflexive anaphora in VP-ellipsis: A relevance theory perspective

Twenty-eight intermediate and 22 advanced L2 learners (the experimental groups) and 20 native speakers of English (the control group) participated in a study that investigated second language learners’ interpretation of reflexives in the VP-elliptical sentences. Seventeen experimental sentences in a null context, 17 experimental sentences followed by a referential context favoring the “strict” reading interpretation, 17 experimental sentences followed by a non-referential context not favoring the “strict” reading interpretation, and 51 filler items were presented to the participants using a judgment task in which each sentence is followed by two alternative interpretations [Frazier, L., & Clifton, C. (2000) On bound variables interpretations: The LF-only hypothesis. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 29, 125–139]. The results indicate that adult L2 learners’ interpretation of such construction in English was constrained by the minimal processing cost and contextual effects of Relevance Theory (RT). They interpreted the reflexive in a null context “sloppily”, indicating the constraints of the minimal processing cost of RT. The contextual effects of RT were shown in their “strict” reading of the reflexive in a referential context.