Human neuronal encoding of English syntactic violations as revealed by both L1 and L2 speakers.
Our previous study [M. Kubota, P. Ferrari, T.P.L. Roberts, Magnetoencephalography detection of early syntactic processes in humans: comparison between L1 speakers and L2 learners, Neurosci. Lett. 353 (2003) 107-110] showed that an early syntactic response was elicited in first language (L1) speakers for within-phrase, but not across-phrase violations, implying that there may exist a continuum of neuronal error gravity. Such an early component was not elicited by second-language (L2) learners. The current auditory study investigated whether two types of different syntactic violations regarding noun-phrase raising (NP-raising) and case-filter constructions would elicit a prominent early syntactic component in each hemisphere for both L1 and advanced L2 speakers of English. Neuromagnetic fields were recorded, using a dual 37-channel gradiometer system. A prominent component, peaking at approximately 150 ms post-onset, was observed in both hemispheres of two groups in response to NP-raising induced violations, but not case-filter violations. The findings imply that L1 and L2 speakers have similar neuronal mechanisms subserving syntactic processing of such violations.
Kubota
Mikio
M
Department of English, Seijo University, 6-1-20, Seijo, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-8511, Japan. mkubota@seijo.ac.jp
Ferrari
Paul
P
Roberts
Timothy P L
TP
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D015225:Magnetoencephalography / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D019303:Multilingualism; D012660:Semantics; D013067:Speech Perception; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology*