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ZAHNG PING(2020130930)

Professor Hyun-Jin Kim

Psycholinguistics（English) 00

18 June, 2023

To study how a sentence changes meaning when spoken by another person

1. Introduction

In daily life, we often come across situations where the meaning of a sentence

changes as it is passed from one person to another. This phenomenon makes me

wonder why the same sentence is different after being passed by multiple people. In

order to answer this question, it is necessary to study the process of sentence

understanding and information transmission. Sentence understanding refers to the

process of how we understand and process sentences in the brain. It includes word

recognition, syntactic analysis, semantic interpretation, and understanding the

relationships between different parts of a sentence. When we pass on information to

others, we often find that the meaning has changed. This may be because there are

some specific characteristics and limitations in the process of information

transmission, or it may be due to misunderstandings or ambiguities in people's

understanding of information. In addition, social factors may also have an impact on

the transmission of information.

The purpose of this paper is to explore why a sentence can mutate after being

passed on by multiple people. Study the mechanism of sentence variation and analyze

the factors that influence this variation. Through the review of relevant theories and
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empirical studies, we can find the causes of sentence variation, so as to better

understand the complexity of language communication and information transfer. The

study of sentence variation can provide useful enlightenment for improving the

accuracy and effectiveness of language communication.

2. The cognitive process of sentence understanding

2.1 Lexical recognition

Word recognition is an important part of sentence understanding, and it involves

how we recognize and understand words in sentences in our brains. Research has

shown that word recognition depends on the interaction of neural mechanisms. For

example, a study by Fiebach et al. (2002) used functional magnetic resonance imaging

(fMRI) to reveal the existence of a dual pathway in visual word recognition involving

the interaction between the temporal and frontal lobes. In addition, the frequency and

meaning of words also affect word recognition. Previous studies have shown that

high-frequency words and semantically more predictive words are more easily

recognized during word recognition (Hagoort and Indefrey, 2014).

2.2 Syntax Analysis

Syntactic analysis deals with how we understand the structure and grammatical

rules of sentences. People understand the meaning of a sentence by processing the

grammatical relationships in it. It is found that syntactic analysis is an iterative

process involving the use of context and the resolution of ambiguity (Levy, 2008).

Neuroscience research has shown that syntactic analysis involves multiple brain

regions working together, including areas such as the prefrontal and temporal lobes
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(Just and Carpenter, 1992).

2.3 Semantic interpretation

Semantic interpretation refers to how we understand the meaning of a sentence.

This process involves processing and understanding the semantic content of words

and phrases. Neuroscience studies have found that semantic processing involves the

synergistic action of multiple brain regions, including areas such as the temporal and

parietal lobes (Kutas and Federmeier, 2011). In addition, semantic consistency and

semantic preference also affect the process of semantic interpretation. Research has

shown that we understand and process semantically consistent information more

easily (Pickering and Garrod, 2013).

2.4. Understanding of component relationship

Understanding the relationship between different components in a sentence is a

key part of sentence comprehension. Understanding component relationships involves

how words and phrases in a sentence can be combined to form larger structures.

Studies have shown that we rely on contextual information, especially contextual

cues, when understanding component relationships (Tanenhaus and Trueswell, 2006).

In addition, the process of processing component relationships also involves the

synergies of multiple brain regions, including the temporal and frontal lobes (Just and

Varma, 2007).

3. Variation in information transmission and its causes

3.1 Features and Limitations

There are some characteristics and limitations in the process of information

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transmission, which may lead to the variation of a sentence in the process of

transmission. Research has found that information transfer is easily affected by

memory limitations. People may forget or confuse some details when conveying

information, resulting in a distortion of meaning. In addition, there are also factors

such as time constraints and communication noise in the transmission of information,

which may also have an impact on the transmission and understanding of sentences

(Clark, 1996).

3.2 Ambiguity and misunderstanding

Ambiguity and misunderstanding in sentences is one of the common causes of

sentence variation. Ambiguity refers to the existence of multiple possible

interpretations in a sentence, while misunderstanding is a deviation in meaning due to

unclear information or incorrect understanding. Studies have shown that people's

understanding and interpretation of sentences are often affected by linguistic

ambiguity and individual cognitive differences, which may lead to the variation of

sentences during transmission (Gibbs, 2000).

3.3 Influence of social factors

In addition to cognitive factors, social factors may also influence the variation in

information transmission. Social factors such as cultural background, social roles,

group interactions and personal preferences can all influence people's interpretation

and understanding of sentences. Research has found that people may be conditioned

by social expectations, social norms, and group influences when conveying

information, resulting in variation of a sentence in different social contexts (Gumperz,

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1982).

3.4 Information compression and simplification

In the process of information transmission, in order to improve transmission

efficiency and save cognitive resources, people tend to compress and simplify

information. This information compression can lead to the meaning of a sentence

being simplified or distorted. Research has shown that information compression is a

common information processing strategy that can be implemented by omitting details,

using generalities, or simplifying grammatical structures (Brennan and Clark, 1996).

3.5 Memory encoding and reconstruction

Memory encoding and reconstruction is another important mechanism of

sentence variation. During information transfer, people encode the information they

receive into their memory and reconstruct it as they recall it. In this process, distortion

of memory and omission of information may occur, resulting in the mutation of the

meaning of a sentence. Studies have shown that the plasticity of memory and the

phenomenon of forgetting have an important impact on sentence transmission and

interpretation (Bartlett, 1932).

3.6 Adding and Inserting Information

In the process of information transmission, people may supplement and insert

information into sentences according to their own cognition and background

knowledge. Such additions and insertions of information may cause the meaning of

the sentence to deviate or expand. Studies have found that people tend to use context

and common sense knowledge to fill in information gaps when information is

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missing, which may lead to variation in the meaning of a sentence (Sperber and

Wilson, 1986).

4. Conclusion

4.1 Significance for research

By studying the variation in sentence comprehension and information

transmission, we can better understand the mechanism of human language processing

and communication. This has important theoretical and practical implications for the

fields of linguistics, cognitive science and sociology. By exploring the cognitive

process of sentence comprehension in depth, we can reveal how the human brain

processes language, and thus provide guidance for language education, translation,

and treatment of speech disorders.

4.2 Implications for information transmission

Studying the process of sentence variation can help us better understand the

problems and challenges in the process of information transmission. Understanding

the causes of sentence variation can help us communicate information more

effectively and avoid ambiguity and misunderstanding. In actual communication, we

can pay attention to the accuracy and clarity of language expression, and try to avoid

the loss or distortion of information to ensure the accurate transmission of

information.

4.3 Suggestions for future research

Although the research of sentence understanding and information transmission

has made some progress, there are still many problems worth further exploration.
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Future research can focus on the following directions: First, the differences in

sentence understanding and information transmission between different languages can

be deeply studied, and the influence of language and cultural background on sentence

variation can be explored. Secondly, the differences and characteristics of sentence

comprehension and information transmission in different groups (such as children and

the elderly) can be further explored to understand the impact of age and cognitive

development on sentence comprehension. In addition, combining brain imaging

techniques and neural network models, we can deeply study the neural basis of

sentence understanding and reveal the activity patterns and connectivity mechanisms

of relevant brain regions in the brain.

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Cambridge University Press.

Gumperz, J. J. (1982). Discourse strategies. Cambridge University Press.

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Just, M. A., & Carpenter, P. A. (1992). A capacity theory of comprehension:

Individual differences in working memory. Psychological Review, 99(1), 122-149.

Clark, H. H. (1996). Using Language. Cambridge University Press.

Brennan, S. E., & Clark, H. H. (1996). Conceptual pacts and lexical choice in

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Gibbs, R. W. (2000). Irony in talk among friends. Metaphor and Symbol, 15(1-2), 5-

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