Abstract
This study addresses online resolution of the Japanese reflexive, jibun, for logophoric and nonlogophoric sentences in which the reflexive was manipulated to relate more often with a subject of a subordinate sentence (subordinate-subject) than with that of a matrix sentence (matrix-subject). 48 students were administered an antecedent identification task on which they were required to identify quickly and accurately the antecedent of the reflexive with a marker given to them either immediately after the end of a sentence following a matrix-verb or 4 sec. later. Despite the manipulation, the matrix-subject was predominantly judged to be the antecedent of the reflexive regardless of the sentence type. However, the subordinate-subject as the judged antecedent of the reflexive increased on the average from around 30.6% immediately after the end of the sentence to 50.1% 4 sec. later. Findings indicate that Japanese speakers are insensitive to the logophoricity involved in the reflexive sentences and a certain length of time is needed for the final interpretation of the sentences to be well established.
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