title: When semantics aids phonology: A processing advantage for iconic word forms in aphasia.
abstract: Iconicity is the non-arbitrary relation between properties of a phonological form and semantic content (e.g. "moo", "splash"). It is a common feature of both spoken and signed languages, and recent evidence shows that iconic forms confer an advantage during word learning. We explored whether iconic forms conferred a processing advantage for 13 individuals with aphasia following left-hemisphere stroke. Iconic and control words were compared in four different tasks: repetition, reading aloud, auditory lexical decision and visual lexical decision. An advantage for iconic words was seen for some individuals in all tasks, with consistent group effects emerging in reading aloud and auditory lexical decision. Both these tasks rely on mapping between semantics and phonology. We conclude that iconicity aids spoken word processing for individuals with aphasia. This advantage is due to a stronger connection between semantic information and phonological forms.
authors: Department of Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, UK. Electronic address: l.meteyard@reading.ac.uk.
authors: Lotte
authors: L
authors: Meteyard
authors: Department of Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, UK.
authors: Emily
authors: E
authors: Stoppard
authors: Department of Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, UK.
authors: Dee
authors: D
authors: Snudden
authors: IUSS Pavia and Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors: Stefano F
authors: SF
authors: Cappa
authors: Research Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, UK.
authors: Gabriella
authors: G
authors: Vigliocco
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001037:Aphasia / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011932:Reading; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012660:Semantics; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications; D014705:Verbal Behavior
keywords: Aphasia; Iconicity; Phonology; Semantics; Sound-symbolism