The term paper is to examine predictability in written speech based on two central experiments that underline the possibility of predicting answers and blank spaces. As examples arise Shannon’s Guessing Game implemented by Claude Shannon in 1951 and Cloze Task by Taylor implemented in 1953. The tests are to show in how far grammatical and phonological structures of one’s mother tongue as well as contextual information influence the choice of words in connected reading concerning phrases on one side and small texts as bigger units on the other side.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Methodology and Execution
- 2.1. Cloze Task
- 2.2. Shannon's Guessing Game
- 3. Results of the studies
- 3.1. Cloze Task
- 3.2. Shannon's Guessing Game
- 5. Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
This term paper examines the predictability of meaning in written speech using two central experiments: the Cloze Task and Shannon's Guessing Game. The objective is to investigate how grammatical structures, phonological features of the native language, and contextual information influence word choice in connected reading, both in phrases and larger texts. The study analyzes data from native English speakers to explore the interplay between learned linguistic rules, contextual knowledge, and the predictability of textual structure and meaning.
- Predictability of lexical structures in written English
- Influence of grammatical and phonological knowledge on word prediction
- Role of contextual information in facilitating word guessing
- Analysis of the Cloze Task and Shannon's Guessing Game methodologies
- Relationship between language perception, construction, and word choice
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the research paper, defining its central aim to investigate predictability in written English. It introduces the two core experimental methodologies: the Cloze Task (Taylor, 1953) and Shannon's Guessing Game (Shannon, 1951). The chapter emphasizes how these experiments illuminate the role of grammatical structures, phonological knowledge, and contextual information in predicting word choices within connected text at both the phrase and larger text levels. It outlines the approach, based on a questionnaire completed by native English speakers, and details the data analysis focusing on psycholinguistic aspects of language perception and construction. Ultimately, the introduction lays the groundwork for examining how word choice is linked to learned rules and how contextual knowledge affects the predictability of text structure and meaning.
2. Methodology and execution: This chapter details the methodologies of the two core experiments employed in the study: the Cloze Task and Shannon's Guessing Game. The Cloze Task, first introduced by Taylor in 1953, systematically omits words from a text to assess the ability of participants to accurately fill in the blanks. The chapter highlights how the inherent coherence and limited vocabulary used in standard Cloze Tasks aim to enhance predictability. This section describes the adaptation of the Cloze Task for this research, specifying the parameters used (five native English speakers with American origin, a 91-word coherent text, a digital questionnaire administered via email). The chapter then explains Shannon's Guessing Game, where participants guess masked words in a sentence one by one, with the number of attempts being limited. The influence of increasing contextual information on the ease of guessing is highlighted. The implementation of this game in the study is described, including details about the sentences used and the instructions given to participants to ensure the integrity of the experiment.
3. Results of the studies: This chapter presents the results obtained from both the Cloze Task and Shannon's Guessing Game. The analysis of the Cloze Task focuses on the word choices made by participants when filling in the blanks, highlighting the influence of grammatical structure (e.g., the use of nouns and articles) and contextual cues in the selection process. The chapter demonstrates how participants' anticipation of specific grammatical structures (such as noun phrases) informed their choices. For example, the use of a possessive pronoun before the gap elicited the prediction of a noun. The chapter analyzes how the limited number of blanks in some sections affected participant responses, comparing instances with single and multiple blank spaces. The chapter explains the findings through the lens of psycholinguistic models of language perception and processing, showing how participants demonstrated knowledge of grammatical structures and contextual expectations in their responses.
Keywords
Predictability, written speech, Cloze task, Shannon's Guessing Game, psycholinguistics, language perception, language construction, contextual information, grammatical structure, word choice, native English speakers.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview
What is the main topic of this research paper?
This research paper investigates the predictability of meaning in written English using two main experiments: the Cloze Task and Shannon's Guessing Game. It explores how grammatical structures, phonological features, and contextual information influence word choice in connected reading.
What are the objectives of this study?
The study aims to analyze how grammatical structures, phonological knowledge, and contextual information influence word choice in both phrases and larger texts. It seeks to understand the interplay between learned linguistic rules, contextual knowledge, and the predictability of textual structure and meaning using data from native English speakers.
What methodologies were used in this research?
The study employed two primary methodologies: the Cloze Task and Shannon's Guessing Game. The Cloze Task involved omitting words from a text and assessing participants' ability to fill in the blanks. Shannon's Guessing Game required participants to guess masked words in a sentence, one at a time, with a limited number of attempts. Both methods aimed to measure the predictability of word choices based on context and linguistic knowledge.
Who were the participants in the study?
The study involved five native English speakers of American origin.
What kind of data was collected and analyzed?
Data was collected using a digital questionnaire administered via email. The analysis focused on the participants' word choices in the Cloze Task and their performance in Shannon's Guessing Game, examining the influence of grammatical structures, contextual cues, and phonological knowledge on their predictions.
What were the key findings of the Cloze Task?
The analysis of the Cloze Task revealed how participants' anticipation of specific grammatical structures (like noun phrases) influenced their choices. The study also looked at how the number of blanks in a section affected participant responses. The findings were interpreted through psycholinguistic models of language perception and processing.
What were the key findings of Shannon's Guessing Game?
The chapter on Shannon's Guessing Game findings is not explicitly detailed in the provided summary, but it would likely focus on the accuracy of word prediction in relation to the amount of contextual information provided and the number of attempts allowed.
What are the key themes explored in this research?
Key themes include the predictability of lexical structures in written English, the influence of grammatical and phonological knowledge on word prediction, the role of contextual information in facilitating word guessing, the analysis of the Cloze Task and Shannon's Guessing Game methodologies, and the relationship between language perception, construction, and word choice.
What are the key words associated with this research?
Key words include Predictability, written speech, Cloze task, Shannon's Guessing Game, psycholinguistics, language perception, language construction, contextual information, grammatical structure, word choice, native English speakers.
What is the overall conclusion of the study (as summarized)?
The provided text only offers chapter summaries, not an overall conclusion. A full version of the paper would contain a comprehensive conclusion summarizing the findings and their implications.
- Quote paper
- Lina Gertzmann (Author), 2020, Predictability of Meaning in Written Speech: "Cloze task" and "Shannon’s Guessing Game" as an Illustration, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1132953
