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Processing of Visible Language pp 537–549Cite as

Anaphoric relations, comprehension and readability

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Part of the book series: Nato Conference Series ((HF,volume 13))

Abstract

This paper explores the role of anaphoric relations in the processing of visible language. It was found that anaphor-resolution is a highly complex skill and is a factor in reading comprehension. The distance that a reader has to backtrack to locate the antecedent and the amount of information represented by the substitute were found to be good predictors of the amount of difficulty encountered in performing this referencing task. Because readability measures do not incoporate anaphoric relations, the author recommends a framework for examining the comprehensibility of text as a more valid alternative in evaluating and selecting materials for specific readers.

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Authors
  1. Julia To Dutka
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Paul A. Kolers

  2. Visible Language Journal, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

    Merald E. Wrolstad

  3. Institute for Perception Research, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Herman Bouma

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© 1980 Plenum Press, New York

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Dutka, J.T. (1980). Anaphoric relations, comprehension and readability. In: Kolers, P.A., Wrolstad, M.E., Bouma, H. (eds) Processing of Visible Language. Nato Conference Series, vol 13. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1068-6_40

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1068-6_40

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-1070-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-1068-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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