| This study explored the impact of morphological properties on inferring unfamiliar Kanji (Chinese characters used in Japanese) among native speakers and Japanese as a foreign language (JFL) learners. Research has shown that incidental word learning, essential in vocabulary acquisition, entails word-meaning inference (Jenkins, Motlock, & Slocum 1989; Nagy & Anderson 1984). Investigations involving alphabetic readers identify two essential competencies underlying successful inference: abilities to extract morphological information from unknown words, and to integrate contextual information with extracted morphological information. Vocabulary knowledge supports both of these competencies. To further explore these factors in a non-alphabetic language, this study examined inferential behaviors among native and non-native Kanji users. Three research questions were posed: (1) Does the functional salience of Kanji components alter inferential behaviors? (2) does it facilitate Kanji meaning inference? and (3) does character knowledge affect the way morphological information is used during Kanji inferring?; The results of the study demonstrated that among Kanji users the functional salience of morphological components has a strong impact on inferential behaviors, but it does not enhance inference accuracy, and that character knowledge, as well, affects Kanji inference behaviors. These findings clearly imply that Kanji users are sensitive to the functional salience of morphological components. Such sensitivity evolves gradually as Kanji knowledge accumulates and guides inference behaviors. In short, inference processes are constrained by morphological properties. |
