Do Different Feature Encodings in Spoken vs. Written Pronouns Influence Pronoun Use?

Abstract

Are production processes shared between written and spoken production when they differ in their encoding of information? The present study aims to address the question by investigating how the different feature specification in written and spoken Mandarin influences reference production. We found that Mandarin speakers showed different sensitivity to gender information in spoken and written production. Mandarin speakers’ pronoun use was significantly affected by gender information in written production but not in spoken production. Our results suggest that written and spoken language involve different referential processes when their pronouns differ in their feature specification.