Russ Tomlin, attention, working memory, reference, and referential choice

ABSTRACT

Russ Tomlin created an original approach to discourse production, including a theory based on the achievements of cognitive psychology and novel experimental paradigms. Particularly important is his theory of how attention affects linguistic structure. Tomlin’s approach played an important role in the development of the framework of reference and referential choice, developed by the present author over the years. A brief sketch of that framework is provided, including a relationship between attention and reference, focal attention and subjecthood, working memory and referential choice, as well as an integral model including all these components. In recent years this framework was enriched by machine learning methods, helping to assess the contributions of various factors to referent activation and referential choice. A number of recent studies are brought to the attention of readers. These studies focus on the interplay of activation factors, novel factors of referential choice, functioning of referential conflict, and comparison of referential choice in speaking and in writing.

Acknowledgments

I thank both anonymous reviewers for their numerous and thoughtful comments and questions that helped me to improve the text of this article. All remaining faults are mine. I am also grateful to Marina Shumilina who helped me to clarify some points in my assessment of her work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).