As is clear from the sample set of the target materials and discussed above,
we manipulated not only the linear distance between the wh-phrase and its
predicate, but also the position of the licensing Q-particle. This manipulation
was independently motivated by the fi ndings by Miyamoto and Takahashi (2002).
They i nvestigated the wh-dependency formation in Japanese and compared the
following paradigm (see also Aoshima, Phillips and Weinbe rg, 2004; Ono and
Nakatani 2010, 2014). In a se ries of self-paced read ing experiments, they found
that, given the presence of the wh-phrase in the embedded clause, the embedded
verb with the non-interrogative complementizer to ‘that’ in (11b) was read slower
than the same verb with the Q-particle. This observation was widely recognized
as Typing Mismatch Effects (TMEs). They argued that the parser prefers the
structure in (11a) because the length of the dependency formation in (11a) is
shorter than that in (11b). In other words, the parser makes prediction that the
embedded verb appears with the Q-particle, based on the presence of the
wh-phrase.
(11) a. kakarityoo-wa [senmu-ga dono pasokon-o
supervisor-TOPthe director-NOMwhich computer-ACC
tukatteiru-ka] kikimasita
is.using-Q asked
“The supervisor asked which computer the director is using.”
b. [sensee-ga tyapatu-no namaikina gakusee-o hidoku sikatta-to]
teacher-NOM dyed.hair-GEN impertinent student-ACC harshly scolded-C]
dono soodanin-ga sinziteiru-ka kyoositu-de hogosya-wa kikimasita.
which counselor-NOM believe-Q classroom-at parents-TOP asked
“The parents asked which counselor believed that the teacher had harshly
scolded the impertinent student with dyed hair.”
c. dono soodanin-ga [sensee-ga tyapatu-no namaikina
which counselor-NOM teacher-NOM dyed.hair-GEN impertinentd. [sensee-ga tyapatu-no namaikina gakusee-o hidoku sikatta-to]
teacher-NOM dyed.hair-GEN impertinent student-ACC harshly scolded-C]
dono soodanin-ga sinziteiru-to kyoositu-de hogosya-wa iimasita-ka.
which counselor-NOMbelieve-C classroom-at parents-TOPsaid-Q
“Which counselor did the parents say believed that the teacher had harshly
scolded the impertinent student with dyed hair?”gakusee-o hidoku sikatta-to] sinziteiru-to
student-ACC harshly scolded-C] believe-C
kyoositu-de hogosya-wa iimasita-ka.
classroom-at parents-TOP said-Q94 Hajime Ono et al.