GARDEN PATH SENTENCE Meaning and
Definition
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A garden path sentence is a linguistic phenomenon characterized by its deceptive structure, giving the reader or listener an initial impression that leads them astray from the intended meaning. Typically, it appears grammatically correct at first glance but turns out to be semantically or syntactically ambiguous. The term "garden path" originates from the concept of a well-trodden path that eventually leads to an unexpected or confusing outcome.
In a garden path sentence, the initial wording prompts the reader or listener to interpret it in a certain way, but as they progress to the end, they realize a different interpretation is required to make sense of the sentence. This often occurs due to ambiguous word placement, multiple possible grammatical structures, or semantic meanings that conflict with the reader's expectations. They might need to backtrack and reevaluate their assumptions to comprehend the intended message accurately.
These sentences not only challenge language comprehension but also reveal the human mind's tendency to rely on subconscious interpretation patterns. They are often used in linguistic studies and psycholinguistic experiments to explore how readers process sentences and uncover the mechanisms behind parsing sentences. Garden path sentences can be complex and intricate, exhibiting a high level of syntactic and semantic ambiguity, which makes their deconstruction an interesting task for both linguists and language enthusiasts.
