Perception of wordlikeness: Effects of segment probability and length on the processing of nonwords

A probabilistic phonotactic grammar based on the probabilities of the const ituents contained in a dictionary of English was used to generate multisyll abic nonwords. English-speaking listeners evaluated the wordlikeness of the se patterns. Wordlikeness ratings were higher for nonwords containing high- probability constituents and were also higher for nonwords with fewer sylla bles. Differences in the processing of these same nonwords that partially r eflected their perceived wordlikeness were also found in a recognition memo ry task. Nonwords with higher probability constituents yielded better recog nition memory performance, suggesting that participants were able to use th eir knowledge of frequently occurring lexical patterns to improve recogniti on. These results suggest that lexical patterns provide the foundation of a n emergent phonological competence used to process nonwords in both linguis tic and metalinguistic tasks. (C) 2000 Academic Press.