Syntactic complexity in the brain
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Angela D. Friederici
Abstract
The current chapter considers neuronal circuits in the human brain that represent a neuroanatomical basis for the processing of syntactic complexities. We will present data from event-related brain potential studies and from functional and structural brain imaging studies to elucidate the brain’s underpinnings for syntactic processing. The data shall indicate that the processing of syntactic dependencies is subserved by two distinct networks of brain areas, one involving the deep frontal operculum and the anterior part of the superior temporal gyrus (STG), holding responsible for the processing of local dependencies, the other involving Broca’s area and the posterior part of the STG, holding responsible for the processing of hierarchical dependencies. Structural brain data are referred that identify two separate neural fiber pathways for these two networks. These findings are supported by ontogenetic and phylogenetic comparison. The data suggest functional and structural separation for the processing of different levels of syntactic complexity.
Abstract
The current chapter considers neuronal circuits in the human brain that represent a neuroanatomical basis for the processing of syntactic complexities. We will present data from event-related brain potential studies and from functional and structural brain imaging studies to elucidate the brain’s underpinnings for syntactic processing. The data shall indicate that the processing of syntactic dependencies is subserved by two distinct networks of brain areas, one involving the deep frontal operculum and the anterior part of the superior temporal gyrus (STG), holding responsible for the processing of local dependencies, the other involving Broca’s area and the posterior part of the STG, holding responsible for the processing of hierarchical dependencies. Structural brain data are referred that identify two separate neural fiber pathways for these two networks. These findings are supported by ontogenetic and phylogenetic comparison. The data suggest functional and structural separation for the processing of different levels of syntactic complexity.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
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Part I. Diachrony
- From nominal to clausal morphosyntax 23
- Re(e)volving complexity 53
- Multiple routes to clause union 81
- On the origins of serial verb constructions in Kalam 119
- A quantitative approach to the development of complex predicates 145
- Elements of complex structures, where recursion isn’t 163
- Nominalization and the origin of subordination 199
- The co-evolution of syntactic and pragmatic complexity 215
- Two pathways of grammatical evolution 239
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Part II. Child language
- On the role of frequency and similarity in the acquisition of subject and non-subject relative clauses 251
- ‘ Starting small ’ effects in the acquisition of early relative constructions in Spanish 277
- The ontogeny of complex verb phrases 311
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Part III. Cognition and neurology
- Syntactic complexity versus concatenation in a verbal production task 391
- The emergence of linguistic complexity 405
- Cognitive and neural underpinnings of syntactic complexity 433
- Neural mechanisms of recursive processing in cognitive and linguistic complexity 461
- Syntactic complexity in the brain 491
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Part IV. Biology and evolution
- Neural plasticity 509
- Recursion 531
- Index 545
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Diachrony
- From nominal to clausal morphosyntax 23
- Re(e)volving complexity 53
- Multiple routes to clause union 81
- On the origins of serial verb constructions in Kalam 119
- A quantitative approach to the development of complex predicates 145
- Elements of complex structures, where recursion isn’t 163
- Nominalization and the origin of subordination 199
- The co-evolution of syntactic and pragmatic complexity 215
- Two pathways of grammatical evolution 239
-
Part II. Child language
- On the role of frequency and similarity in the acquisition of subject and non-subject relative clauses 251
- ‘ Starting small ’ effects in the acquisition of early relative constructions in Spanish 277
- The ontogeny of complex verb phrases 311
-
Part III. Cognition and neurology
- Syntactic complexity versus concatenation in a verbal production task 391
- The emergence of linguistic complexity 405
- Cognitive and neural underpinnings of syntactic complexity 433
- Neural mechanisms of recursive processing in cognitive and linguistic complexity 461
- Syntactic complexity in the brain 491
-
Part IV. Biology and evolution
- Neural plasticity 509
- Recursion 531
- Index 545
