Frequency effects in compound processing

This chapter discusses the role of compound token frequency, head and modifier token frequency, and head and modifier compound family sizes (type frequencies) in the comprehension of English and Dutch compounds, using data from word naming, visual lexical decision, and eye-tracking studies. Using generalized additive regression modeling, it is shown that these frequency measures enter into many complex interactions. These interactions argue against current staged models and argue for morphological processing as part of a complex dynamic system.