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1. A Human Mirror Neuron System for Language: Perspectives from Signed Languages of the Deaf (EJ867500)
Author(s):
Knapp, Heather Patterson; Corina, David P.
Source:
Brain and Language, v112 n1 p36-43 Jan 2010
Pub Date:
2010-01-00
Pub Type(s):
Information Analyses; Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Peer-Reviewed:
Yes
Descriptors: Neurolinguistics; Sign Language; Deafness; Evolution; Language Acquisition; Prediction; Psycholinguistics; Neurological Impairments; Language Processing; Nonverbal Communication; Language Research
Abstract: Language is proposed to have developed atop the human analog of the macaque mirror neuron system for action perception and production [Arbib M.A. 2005. From monkey-like action recognition to human language: An evolutionary framework for neurolinguistics (with commentaries and author's response). "Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 28", 105-167; Arbib M.A. (2008). From grasp to language: Embodied concepts and the challenge of abstraction. "Journal de Physiologie Paris 102," 4-20]. Signed languages of the deaf are fully-expressive, natural human languages that are perceived visually and produced manually. We suggest that if a unitary mirror neuron system mediates the observation and production of both language and non-linguistic action, three predictions can be made: (1) damage to the human mirror neuron system should non-selectively disrupt both sign language and non-linguistic action processing; (2) within the domain of sign language, a given mirror neuron locus should mediate both perception and production; and (3) the action-based tuning curves of individual mirror neurons should support the highly circumscribed set of motions that form the "vocabulary of action" for signed languages. In this review we evaluate data from the sign language and mirror neuron literatures and find that these predictions are only partially upheld. (Contains 1 table and 2 figures.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract
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2. Grain Size in Script and Teaching: Literacy Acquisition in Ge'ez and Latin (EJ866623)
Asfaha, Yonas Mesfun; Kurvers, Jeanne; Kroon, Sjaak
Applied Psycholinguistics, v30 n4 p709-724 Oct 2009
2009-10-00
Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Descriptors: Foreign Countries; African Languages; Reading Instruction; Syllables; Grade 1; Applied Linguistics; Psycholinguistics; Language Processing; Orthographic Symbols; Spelling; Reading Skills; Alphabets; Linguistic Theory; Comparative Analysis
Abstract: The study investigated reading in four African languages that use either syllabic Ge'ez (Tigrinya and Tigre languages) or alphabetic Latin scripts (Kunama and Saho). A sample of 385 Grade 1 children were given letter knowledge, word reading, and spelling tasks to investigate differences at the script and language levels. Results showed that the syllable based Ge'ez script was easier to learn than the phoneme-based Latin despite the bigger number of basic units in Ge'ez. Moreover, the syllable based teaching of alphabetic Saho produced better results than alphabetic teaching of Kunama. These findings are discussed using the psycholinguistic grain size theory. The outcomes confirm the importance of the availability of phonological units in learning to read. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract
3. Orthographic Influences, Vocabulary Development, and Phonological Awareness in Deaf Children Who Use Cochlear Implants (EJ866621)
James, Deborah; Rajput, Kaukab; Brinton, Julie; Goswami, Usha
Applied Psycholinguistics, v30 n4 p659-684 Oct 2009
Descriptors: Phonology; Reading; Deafness; Phonological Awareness; Rhyme; Assistive Technology; Vocabulary Development; Children; Comparative Analysis; Reading Achievement; Predictor Variables; Applied Linguistics; Psycholinguistics; Language Processing; Syllables; Orthographic Symbols; Phoneme Grapheme Correspondence; Reading Skills; Reading Processes
Abstract: In the current study, we explore the influence of orthographic knowledge on phonological awareness in children with cochlear implants and compare developmental associations to those found for hearing children matched for word reading level or chronological age. We show an influence of orthographic knowledge on syllable and phoneme awareness in deaf and hearing children, but no orthographic effect on rhyme awareness. Nonorthographic rhyme awareness was a significant predictor of reading outcomes for all groups. However, whereas receptive vocabulary knowledge was the most important predictor of word reading variance in the cochlear implant group, rhyme awareness was the only important predictor of word reading variance in the reading level matched hearing group. Both vocabulary and rhyme awareness were equally important in predicting reading in the chronological age-matched hearing group. The data suggest that both deaf and hearing children are influenced by orthography when making phonological judgments, and that phonological awareness and vocabulary are both important for reading development. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract
4. Gender Differences in Language Development in French Canadian Children between 8 and 30 Months of Age (EJ866622)
Bouchard, Caroline; Trudeau, Natacha; Sutton, Ann; Boudreault, Marie-Claude; Deneault, Joane
Applied Psycholinguistics, v30 n4 p685-707 Oct 2009
Descriptors: Females; French Canadians; Foreign Countries; French; Gender Differences; Males; Language Acquisition; Young Children; Applied Linguistics; Psycholinguistics; Language Processing; Child Language; Child Development; Language Skills; Vocabulary Development
Abstract: The purpose of this article is to examine the language of girls and boys between 8 and 30 months of age, using the Quebec French version of The MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories. The findings from this parental report measure confirm those of earlier research, which showed the linguistic superiority of girls over boys at a young age. More specifically, the results show that girls produce significantly more words than boys; their utterances contain a greater number of grammatical forms, and are more complex syntactically. On the qualitative level, the data illustrate distinctive characteristics associated with gender in the acquisition of the first 100 words. These findings suggest that caution is necessary when assessing young children to interpret performance in light of factors that may contribute to it, including gender. These results are discussed in light of whether separate normative data are warranted for young boys and girls learning Canadian French. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract
5. Long-Term Relationships among Early First Language Skills, Second Language Aptitude, Second Language Affect, and Later Second Language Proficiency (EJ866624)
Sparks, Richard L.; Patton, Jon; Ganschow, Leonore; Humbach, Nancy
Applied Psycholinguistics, v30 n4 p725-755 Oct 2009
Descriptors: Second Languages; Predictor Variables; Aptitude Tests; Decoding (Reading); Grade 1; Language Aptitude; Language Proficiency; High School Students; Longitudinal Studies; Correlation; Student Motivation; Applied Linguistics; Psycholinguistics; Language Processing; Language Skills; Second Language Learning; Language Tests
Abstract: Fifty-four students were followed over 10 years beginning in first grade to determine best predictors of oral and written second language (L2) proficiency. Predictor variables included measures of first language (L1) skill administered in first through fifth grades, L1 academic aptitude, L2 aptitude (Modern Language Aptitude Test), and L2 affect (motivation, anxiety). All participants completed 2 years of L2 study in high school. Findings revealed strong correlations between early L1 skills and later L2 proficiency, but the Modern Language Aptitude Test was the best predictor of overall L2 proficiency and most L2 proficiency subtests. However, L1 word decoding was the best predictor of L2 word decoding skills. Early L1 skills, L2 motivation, or L2 anxiety added a small amount of variance to the prediction models. Findings suggested that language-related variables are the most robust predictors of L2 proficiency. Results are discussed in the context of long-term cross linguistic transfer of early L1 skills to later L2 aptitude and L2 proficiency. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract
6. The Processing and Comprehension of "Wh"-Questions among Second Language Speakers of German (EJ866619)
Jackson, Carrie N.; Bobb, Susan C.
Applied Psycholinguistics, v30 n4 p603-636 Oct 2009
Descriptors: German; Native Speakers; Phrase Structure; Reading Strategies; Applied Linguistics; Psycholinguistics; Language Processing; Sentences; Reading Processes; Second Language Learning; Morphology (Languages); Second Languages; Language Patterns; Syntax; Comparative Analysis
Abstract: Using the self-paced reading paradigm, the present study examines whether highly proficient second language (L2) speakers of German (English first language) use case-marking information during the on-line comprehension of unambiguous "wh"-extractions, even when task demands do not draw explicit attention to this morphosyntactic feature in German. Results support previous findings, in that both the native and the L2 German speakers exhibited an immediate subject preference in the matrix clause, suggesting they were sensitive to case-marking information. However, only among the native speakers did this subject preference carry over to reading times in the complement clause. The results from the present study are discussed in light of current debates regarding the ability of L2 speakers to attain nativelike processing strategies in their L2. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract
7. From Grapheme to Word in Reading Acquisition in Spanish (EJ866618)
Cuetos, Fernando; Suarez-Coalla, Paz
Applied Psycholinguistics, v30 n4 p583-601 Oct 2009
Descriptors: Stimuli; Pronunciation; Phonology; Morphemes; Graphemes; Spanish Speaking; Spanish; Children; Linguistic Input; Applied Linguistics; Psycholinguistics; Language Processing; Orthographic Symbols; Phoneme Grapheme Correspondence; Language Acquisition; Child Development; Cognitive Development; Language Skills; Reading Skills; Reading Processes; Beginning Reading; Language Classification
Abstract: The relationship between written words and their pronunciation varies considerably among different orthographic systems, and these variations have repercussions on learning to read. Children whose languages have deep orthographies must learn to pronounce larger units, such as rhymes, morphemes, or whole words, to achieve the correct pronunciation of some words. However, children whose languages have transparent orthographies need only learn to pronounce graphemes to be able to read any word. In this study, the reading evolution of Spanish-speaking children was investigated for the purpose of discovering when and for what types of stimuli lexical information is used in Spanish. Five- to 10-year-old children were presented with lists of stimuli in which lexicality, frequency, and length were manipulated. The results in terms of reading accuracy and speed showed that the influence of stimulus length is great in the early grades and later diminishes, and just the opposite is the case for lexicality and frequency. These data suggest that reading acquisition in Spanish constitutes a continuum that ranges from phonological recoding to the use of lexical strategies, and that this transition is made at a very early stage, at least for the most frequent words. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract
8. Role of Working Memory in Children's Understanding Spoken Narrative: A Preliminary Investigation (EJ866614)
Montgomery, James W.; Polunenko, Anzhela; Marinellie, Sally A.
Applied Psycholinguistics, v30 n3 p485-509 Jul 2009
2009-07-00
Descriptors: Reaction Time; Short Term Memory; Cognitive Tests; Correlation; Speech Communication; Predictor Variables; Children; Applied Linguistics; Psycholinguistics; Language Processing; Verbal Tests
Abstract: The role of phonological short-term memory (PSTM), attentional resource capacity/allocation, and processing speed on children's spoken narrative comprehension was investigated. Sixty-seven children (6-11 years) completed a digit span task (PSTM), concurrent verbal processing and storage (CPS) task (resource capacity/allocation), auditory-visual reaction time (AV[subscript RT]) task (processing speed), and the Test of Narrative Language. Correlation and regression analyses examined the association between the memory variables and comprehension. The main findings were (a) CPS and AV[subscript RT] correlated with comprehension and (b) after accounting for age, CPS accounted for a significant 7.9% of unique variance and AV[subscript RT] accounted for another significant 5.2%. The results indicate that resource capacity/allocation and processing speed are important to children's ability to understand spoken narrative. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract
9. Orthographic and Phonological Effects in the Picture-Word Interference Paradigm: Evidence from a Logographic Language (EJ866620)
Bi, Yanchao; Xu, Yaoda; Caramazza, Alfonso
Applied Psycholinguistics, v30 n4 p637-658 Oct 2009
Descriptors: Speech Communication; Phonology; Models; Mandarin Chinese; Visual Aids; Applied Linguistics; Psycholinguistics; Language Processing; Orthographic Symbols; Children; Language Skills; Verbal Stimuli; Visual Stimuli; Recognition (Psychology)
Abstract: One important finding with the picture-word interference paradigm is that picture-naming performance is facilitated by the presentation of a distractor (e.g., CAP) formally related to the picture name (e.g., "cat"). In two picture-naming experiments we investigated the nature of such form facilitation effect with Mandarin Chinese, separating the effects of phonology and orthography. Significant facilitation effects were observed both when distractors were only orthographically or only phonologically related to the targets. The orthographic effect was overall stronger than the phonological effect. These findings suggest that the classic form facilitation effect in picture-word interference is a mixed effect with multiple loci: it cannot be attributed merely to the nonlexical activation of the target phonological segments from the visual input of the distractor. It seems instead that orthographically only related distractors facilitate the lexical selection process of picture naming, and phonologically only related distractors facilitate the retrieval of target phonological segments. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract
10. Talking about Writing: What We Can Learn from Conversations between Parents and Their Young Children (EJ866613)
Robins, Sarah; Treiman, Rebecca
Applied Psycholinguistics, v30 n3 p463-484 Jul 2009
Descriptors: Semantics; Written Language; Freehand Drawing; Linguistic Input; Applied Linguistics; Psycholinguistics; Language Processing; Language Acquisition; Child Language; Young Children; Child Development; Cognitive Development; Beginning Writing; Emergent Literacy; Parent Child Relationship; Parent Role
Abstract: In six analyses using the Child Language Data Exchange System known as CHILDES, we explored whether and how parents and their 1.5- to 5-year-old children talk about writing. Parent speech might include information about the similarity between print and speech and about the difference between writing and drawing. Parents could convey similarity between print and speech by using the words "say", "name", and "word" to refer to both spoken and written language. Parents could differentiate writing and drawing by making syntactic and semantic distinctions in their discussion of the two symbol systems. Our results indicate that parent speech includes these types of information. However, young children themselves sometimes confuse writing and drawing in their speech. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract
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