From Ambiguity to Clarity: Cognitive and Contextual Mechanisms in Language Resolution
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| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | Language ambiguity is a ubiquitous phenomenon in communication, which can significantly impact the way individuals interpret and process information. The resolution of such ambiguity requires complex cognitive processes in constructing and deriving intended meanings, often influenced by various contextual cues. The article addresses this question by exploring the mechanisms involved in resolving language ambiguity, particularly in the form of puns, and examining the cognitive stages required to comprehend ambiguous language. Puns, due to their reliance on words with multiple meanings, necessitate the activation of different cognitive mechanisms in order to resolve the competing interpretations. Through a series of eye-tracking experiments on pun comprehension, the paper outlines how lexical ambiguity triggers a multi-stage cognitive process that includes lexical access, semantic integration, incongruity detection, and eventual resolution. By integrating perspectives from psycholinguistics, cognitive psychology, visual neuroscience, and cross-cultural communication, this study emphasizes the critical role the context plays in shaping cognitive language processing, particularly in the realm of written communication. Context, in this sense, is not just a passive background, but an active force that can either facilitate accurate understanding or lead to misinterpretations, potentially escalating into misunderstandings or conflict. Practical examples of sentences with varying levels of ambiguity will be presented, showing how the presence or absence of contextual information can impact the ease with which ambiguous language is resolved. By employing a multidisciplinary approach, the paper emphasizes the need for context-aware strategies to enhance communication practices in both everyday and professional contexts. The insights provided are applicable across diverse fields, including education, mediation, law, social studies or intercultural communication. |
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