comprehension (n.)

The general sense of this term is found in LINGUISTICS, referring to the ability to understand and interpret spoken and written language; it is opposed to PRODUCTION. In PSYCHOLINGUISTICS, the analysis of the process of speech comprehension is a major theme, encompassing such topics as the strategies used by children in language ACQUISITION, the strategies adults use in interpreting different types of SENTENCE (e.g. AMBIGUITY, NEGATION, QUESTIONS), the role of the EXTRALINGUISTIC SITUATION, and the role of cognitive factors (such as memory, attention and perception) in arriving at the interpretation of sentences and DISCOURSES.