This dissertation focuses on the central research question of how Mandarin compound words are represented during language production. Specifically, it examines whether compound words are stored in the mental lexicon in a decomposed or holistic manner. If decomposition occurs during production, at what level does it take place? Are the storage mechanisms at the lemma and lexeme levels-two stages in lexical selection-distinct? According to the theoretical model proposed by Levelt et al. (1999), decomposition of compound words can occur at either the lemma or lexeme levels during lexical selection. To explore the representation of Mandarin compound words during lexical selection, this dissertation investigates two primary hypotheses: the morphological decomposition hypothesis and the full-listing hypothesis. The former posits that compound words are represented in the mental lexicon through their constituent morphemes, which play a role in lexical retrieval. In contrast, the latter asserts that compound words are stored as whole units, negating the involvement of morphemes in lexical retrieval. The aim of this research is to uncover how Mandarin Chinese compound words are represented at the two levels of lexical selection during speech production.
