3. Language Flashcards
Evolution of lang
longer throat smaller mouth = precise control, 50k yrs ago
from animals - ape gestures socially learned and mirror neurons similar to Broca’s area
left laterilization in chimps, use right hand for gestures
basic structure of lang
phonemes, morphemes, syntax
Phoneme perception
continuous stimuli as categorical perception
VOT for ba/pa (under 30 = pa)
animal categorical perception?
chinchillas percieved ba/pa categorically too
maybe VOT is innate for all animals hearing
Sensitivty period and native contrasts
infants start as universal listeners
lose non-native contrasts around 10-12mo
lose plasticity for other phonemes
sensitivites for many aspects of lang (sounds/grammar) not vocab, can learn forever
fMRI for left laterilization and devo and specifcity
play forwards/backwards speech to keep all other variables constant except ‘lang’
LH much more active for forwards speech
left laterilization present for 3mo old
areas active only for lang, not ‘cog processes’ like reasoning, only BOLD for lang
brain regions for lang and diff people
Superior temporal gyrus - sound/phonetics
Wernickes - sensory integration, comprehension
Supramarginal gyrus - sensory integration, phon processing (above wernickes)
Brocas - language production
For diff people, speciifc points on surface vary, presurgical mapping to know exactly where so dont fuck up
Brocas aphasia and wernickes aphasia
brocas - can understand but stay silent/few words
wernickes - can make sentences but gibberish/not relevant
Experience and crit period evidence
Genie isolated girl could only produce 2-3 word sentences, needed input to devo grammar, evidence of crit period but also abuse could’ve fucked her up
Conversational Turns/CDS and activation
4-6 yrs wore mics, recorded convo turns
More convo turns = higher lang test score and more Broca’s activation for forwards > backwards speech
CDS not necessary to devo lang (cultures without CDS still hit same lang milestones, as long as hear input (unlike genie))
