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Article published In: Semantics and Psychology of Complex Words
Edited by Christina L. Gagné and Thomas L. Spalding
[The Mental Lexicon 15:1] 2020
► pp. 142–160

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On the influence of creativity upon the interpretation of complex words

 | P. J. Šafárik University, Slovakia
 | P. J. Šafárik University, Slovakia
 | P. J. Šafárik University, Slovakia
Published online: 30 October 2020
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/ml.00018.kor
Abstract
The paper is aimed at the evaluation of whether, and if, to what degree, the psychological factor of creativity affects the interpretation of complex words. The research covered 324 students (17–18 years old) who attended (at the time of the experiment) various secondary schools in Košice, Slovakia. For the sake of evaluation, the respondents were divided into two cohorts (H-cohort and L-cohort) for each of the creativity variables, based on their high vs. low scores achieved in the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT). These variables include Elaboration, Fluency, Flexibility and Originality and two subscores, the Creative Strengths and the Composite Score. The interpretation test includes potential compound words and converted words, i.e., potential words that admit numerous potential readings. The evaluation process is primarily based on Štekauer’s theory of meaning predictability (Štekauer, P. (2005). Meaning Predictability in Word-Formation. Amsterdam-Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar), and covers four variables: the predictability rate, the objectified predictability rate, hapax legomena, and the average number of readings per informant. The results suggest that while the H-cohort is more ‘creative’ in interpreting potential words the influence of the individual variables/subscores varies substantially.
Article outline
  • Theoretical background
  • Torrance Test of Creative Thinking
  • Interpretation test
  • Experiment
  • Evaluation
    • Predictors/independent variable
    • Outcome/dependent variables
    • Predictability Rate
  • Data evaluation
    • Predictability Rate
    • Evaluation by individual experimental words
      • baby book
      • flower hat
      • to boy
      • to tulip
    • Objectified Predictability Rate
    • Hapax Legomena
    • Number of proposed readings per respondent
  • Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
References (28)
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Cited by (3)

Cited by three other publications

Kačmár, Pavol & Lívia Körtvélyessy
2023. Big-Five model of personality and word formation: role of open-mindedness in semantic transparency and economy of expression. Language and Cognition 15:2 ► pp. 217 ff. DOI logo
Körtvélyessy, Lívia, Pavol Štekauer & Pavol Kačmár
2021. On the role of creativity in the formation of new complex words. Linguistics 59:4 ► pp. 1017 ff. DOI logo
Körtvélyessy, Lívia, Pavol Štekauer & Pavol Kačmár
2022. Creativity in Word Formation and Word Interpretation, DOI logo

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