Efficiency in discourse processing: Does morphosyntax adapt to accommodate new referents?

Abstract The introduction of new referents into discourse has traditionally been regarded as a major challenge to language processing, for which speakers deploy specific syntactic configurations, guided by the speaker’s assessment recipient’s state mind (‘recipient design’). In this paper we probe these assumptions against data from nine languages. We find little evidence specialized configurations accommodating referents; only notable exception is association reference with direct objects, suggests that linking already established frames through transitive construction preferable isolating them in an intransitive one. Where predicates are indeed found host referents, be motivated primarily semantic considerations. Contrary long-held assumptions, conclude cognitive referent weakly reflected morphosyntax; instead, production most efficient when integrated seamlessly content-driven demands narration.