Sonority projection effect in French: A signal detection theory approach

Abstract

Using a non-word acceptability task in French, we investigated whether adult speakers use distinctively their knowledge about phonological well-formedness and lexical attestedness. We focused on the Sonority Sequencing Principle to manipulate well-formedness. The results showed that speakers distinguish well-formed and ill-formed forms even when lexical attestedness is controlled for. This is consistent with previous findings on sonority projection effects. Importantly, using a model based on signal detection theory, we showed that those participants who were more (less) sensitive to well-formedness were less (more) sensitive to attestedness. This suggests that knowledge of phonological constraints is represented and used distinctively from that concerning the statistical properties of the lexicon. Our findings raise the issue of individual differences in processing novel linguistic forms. Future research should address the mechanisms underlying these differences and examine to what extent similar behavior may be observed during language development.