Delayed prediction of idiom constituent meaning points to weak holistic multi-word representation in children

While generative accounts of language processing assume that children break down into smaller components on which they apply computational operations, usage-based acquire frequently co-occurring words as large chunks, decompose only later in development. We investigated the evidence for multi-word representation idioms like to let cat out bag 9- 10-year-olds using eye-tracking and Event-Related Potentials. Both measures indicated rapidly predict idiom-final (bag). However, although are generally capable predicting semantic associates highly predictive endings novel sentences (as demonstrated a control experiment), within activate (basket) late stage. conclude units these after short delay during online processing. This effect might relate unitary acquisition assumed by accounts.