Meaning composition in minimal phrasal contexts: distinct ERP effects of intensionality and denotation

A central question in neurolinguistics is how the brain computes the meaning of complex expressions from the meanings of the parts. We investigate adjective–noun composition using EEG, focusing on the effects of the intensional and denotational semantics of the modifying adjective. We used NPs from 4 semantic conditions in Bokmål Norwegian: privative modal (e.g. “fake president”), privative temporal (“former president”), non-privative modal (“real president”), and non-privative temporal (“current president”). In 2 non-semantic conditions, the adjective was replaced by either a non-word or a pseudo-word. The composition contrast (semantic vs non-semantic trials) revealed a larger P600 component after the noun in the semantic trials. The effects of intensionality (modal vs temporal adjective) were found in the N400 time frame, while the effects of denotation (privative vs non-privative adjective) were found in a post-N400 window. We discuss some implications of these results for neurocognitive theories of compositional language processing.