Models or strategies? on the perception of ambiguous words

Abstract

Models of lexical ambiguity resolution differ mainly with respect to the role played by context in lexical access. In my paper I focus on two opposing views: those of autonomous access models (non-context-oriented) and selective access models (context-oriented). I analyse two types of situations of: a. the activation of a wrong meaning of an ambiguous word unpredictable from both models and b. humour based on puns. Proceeding from my analysis I propose to include (those leading to errors) and consider existing models as strategies, consequently, treating unsuccessful lexical ambiguity resolution as the influence factors or as a selection of the wrong strategy.