title: Linguistic heterogeneity in Williams syndrome.
abstract: Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disorder resulting from a deletion on chromosome 7. A number of studies have shown that individuals with WS have a superior linguistic profile compared to their non-verbal abilities, however the evidence has been inconclusive, as many studies have disputed such a profile. The vast majority of studies on WS have assumed a single, homogeneous WS linguistic profile in order to support various theoretical viewpoints. The present study investigated the linguistic profiles of 5 individuals with WS on a number of standardized verbal measures and in conversational settings. The results indicated substantially variable performance in all aspects of the verbal domain, which supports the view that WS, linguistically, is a rather heterogeneous condition and this should be taken into consideration when referring to it in theoretical accounts of language acquisition and debates on modularity.
authors.affiliation: School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, University of Reading, UK. v.stojanovik@reading.ac.uk
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stojanovik
authors.forename: Mick
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007807:Language Tests; D008037:Linguistics; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D014705:Verbal Behavior; D018980:Williams Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*