The Garden Path

"The garden path" is a term from linguistics referring to a situation where a sentence initially leads the listener or reader to interpret it one way, but as more words are heard or read, it becomes clear that the interpretation was incorrect. It’s like walking down a garden path expecting one view, only to realize the path loops or changes direction unexpectedly. This phenomenon highlights how our brains often make quick predictions based on initial words, which sometimes need to be revised as additional context becomes available. It demonstrates the complexity of language processing and how we interpret meaning in real-time.