Semantic Transparency and Processing Compound Nouns: Evidence from Persian Non-fluent Aphasic Patients

This article aims to study the role of semantic transparency in processing simple and root compound nouns consisting of ‘N+N’ comprising the most frequent compound nouns in Persian, in two Broca and two Transcortical Motor aphasias via picture confrontation naming and repetition tasks. Comparisons of two groups' performance showed that Transcortical Motor aphasic patients performed better than Broca aphasics in naming and repetition tasks, while for both groups naming was more difficult than repetition proving dissociation of naming and repetition processes and their independent organization in the brain. With respect to transparency, the highest and lowest numbers of errors were found in transparent and partially transparent nouns, respectively, proving easier processing of partially transparent nouns. Data analysis shows that naming and repetition of compound nouns take place via dual (holistic and decomposing) routes, but decomposition route is more dominant in repetition, and holistic route in naming. Analysis of errors demonstrates that the processing of simple nouns takes place through the holistic route. Also, the analysis of interaction in Persian non-fluent aphasic patients confirms that semantic transparency has no role in processing root compound nouns.