CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

It is generally assumed that semantic transparency in compound words depends on integration of constituents and head transparency. Spanish verb-noun compounds are semantically and morphologically exocentric structures lacking a head. We studied if verb argument structure determines differences in semantic integration and morphological decomposition procedures. Employing Agentives (in which the referent takes the role of agent), and Metaphoricals (which involve methaphorical patterns to construct meaning), during a lexical decision task, stimuli were displayed as whole words, or separated into constituents. Agentives were responded better and faster than Metaphoricals in both conditions. An N400 effect for Metaphoricals in both conditions suggest constituent semantic integration during compound word processing. Differences between compoundtypes seemed related to lexical procedures: while in Agentives the meaning of constituents is easily integrated to form compound meaning; in Metaphoricals, this procedure is inhibited, and compound meaning is accessed through the metaphoric relation that links both constituents.