Processing of Subject and Object Case Markers in Turkish

Abstract

There is no consensus in terms of processing subject- object case markers (Bornkessel, et al., 2004; Schlesewsky & Frisch, 2005; Mueller, et al., 2005; Chow, et al., 2018). The purpose of this study is to determine how +/- definite objects affect the processing cost and to reveal whether there is a processing difference in subject-object case markers. In the first analysis, it is observed that + definite objects are processed easier than - definite objects. Possible reasons are different definiteness and specificity of +/- definite objects and - definite objects creating pseudo incorporation with verb, which causes additional processing cost. In the second analysis, it is observed that subject case creates more processing cost than object case. It is thought that assignment of case markers of subject within TP, object within VP, linear distance between subject and verb, and involvement of more features in subject assignment may cause this difference.