The test subjects were presented the "real" words with fake words mixed in, like "stoinka" or "gomuti" or "alsike". So to "recognize" a word simply meant, did

The test subjects were presented the "real" words with fake words mixed in, like "stoinka" or "gomuti" or "alsike". So to "recognize" a word simply meant, did the test subject says "yes, this is a word used by English speakers", and not "yes, I could define it or give an example of the word's usage in a correct context".