CHAPTER 3

SEMANTIC
PROCESSING
Outline
Processes of Comprehension
The role of knowledge structures
Cognitive Understanding
Concept of knowledge activation
(Schemata)
Social understanding
The role of common ground
Process of inference
Process of inference during
comprehension
Processes of comprehension

Definition of comprehension =
structure building / construction integrati
on
A process of relating input to concepts
that are already active in ones memory an
d to familiar references in the real world.
Two roles
Speaker gives information (input).
Listener builds or construct comprehension.
 Processes of
comprehension (cont.)
The speakers role in the process of
comprehension.
A clear concept of comprehension is from every
reference used by the speaker.
Speaker provides new or focal information
given or background information
The speaker will give presentation cues to the
listener.
It refers to the main stress
Ex. Shed been STANDing in the CAR park
 Processes of
comprehension (cont.)
Listeners role in the
process of comprehension.
How does a listener build
or construct comprehensio
n?
Developing a cognitive map in
mind
Integrating the new information
which relates to previous inform
ation in mind
If it is unrelated, listener will
build new substructure.
Cognitive Understanding
In terms of cognitive understanding, to
active the knowledge for comprehension
, schemata is the key.
- Schema is a
network of
knowledge in
listeners
- Knowledgemind
consists
of memory nodes:
linguistic and non-
linguistic knowledge.
Cognitive Understanding(cont.)
Social understanding
In terms of social understanding, to
understand each other in a conversation,
social frameworks and affective element
s can affect the comprehension

- Sharing the same or

common interests
can help each other
understand the
conversation.
Process of inference
The listener has to infer and construct
the meaning from what the speaker mea
ns.
Process of inference during
comprehension

Two major types of input: Visual and audio

VS
Process of inference during
comprehension (cont.)

1. Problem-solving during
comprehension
Inferences are problem-solving processes.
There are many types of inference.
Process of inference during
comprehension (cont.)

2. Reasoning during comprehension

Types of inferences based on reasoning,
involving claims and grounds of support, f
or sensible conclusion.
The claims from the speakers can be
rejected, accepted, or partially rejected or a
ccepted depending on grounds: implicit or
explicit reason.
Ex.Claim: Thai people are very kind.
explicit ground: because they always
smile.
implicit ground: - (the speaker did not
Process of inference during
comprehension (cont.)

Successful comprehension involve both

language competency and intertextual com
petency (ability to paraphrase and infer to
other information).
Unsuccessful comprehension can occur duo
to fallacies of reasoning (incorrect or
incomplete reason which can lead to misun
derstanding).
The speaker The paraphrase of listener

I thought we were friends, but I guess Im not really her friend

all my friends come to my at all.
wedding and you werent there
 Process of inference during comprehension (cont.)
3. Compensatory strategies during
comprehension
Compensatory Example
strategies
1. Skipping omitting some part
of text during the process
2. Approximation using some
words that can cover the part of
what is not understanable
3. Filtering use shorten words
that have general meaning to
replace the longer message in text.
4. Incompletion - waiting until
clarification can be obtained.
5. Substitution replacing some
words that are not understandable
They were all very . (glum) and
kept complaining.
Iran has launched (embarked on)
a methodological campaign.
The King visited an army unit.
(front-line units of the 12th
Royal Mechanized Division)
They.
(havent really stonewalled us)
A lot of damage
(collateral damage)
Thank you