L2 acquisitionL2 acquisition

December 5, 2008December 5, 2008

Methods of Analyzing L2 acquisitionMethods of Analyzing L2 acquisition

1.1. CorporaCorpora

2.2. Surveys/interviewsSurveys/interviews

3.3. ExperimentalExperimental

3. Experimental 3. Experimental

Most experiments we have talked about in class Most experiments we have talked about in class have also been used to examine L2 have also been used to examine L2 learners/bilingualslearners/bilinguals

Experiments we haven’t looked at yet:Experiments we haven’t looked at yet:

a.a. Grammaticality Judgment TestsGrammaticality Judgment Tests

b.b. Brain imagingBrain imaging

c.c. AphasiaAphasia

b. Brain imagingb. Brain imaging

Two types of Brain ImagingTwo types of Brain ImagingA. Electromagnetic TechniquesA. Electromagnetic Techniques ERP: ERP: Event-related potentialsEvent-related potentials MEG: MEG: Magneto-encephalographyMagneto-encephalography

Measurements:Measurements: ERP & MEG are direct ERP & MEG are direct measures of neural activitymeasures of neural activity

The activity of groups of neurons can The activity of groups of neurons can be picked up directlybe picked up directly

B. Hemodynamic TechniquesB. Hemodynamic Techniques PET: PET: Positron Emission TopographyPositron Emission Topography fMRI: fMRI: functional Magnetic Resonance functional Magnetic Resonance

ImagingImagingMeasurements:Measurements: PET & fMRI are indirect PET & fMRI are indirect

measures of neural activitymeasures of neural activity Blood flow increases as activity Blood flow increases as activity

increasesincreases

C. Aphasia C. Aphasia

A. ERPsA. ERPs

A. ERPsA. ERPs

Examines Electrical Pulses while Examines Electrical Pulses while listening to/seeing languagelistening to/seeing language

Can examine ways that listeners process language (even violations) See variation of normal and non-normal language processingSee variation of normal and non-normal language processing

Do musicians have an advantage for learning a language?

Participants: Adults: 9 musicians et 9 non-musicians

Children: 10 musicians et 10 non-musicians Age: 7-9 yr (average: 8)

Task : is last note / word strange ?

A. ERPsA. ERPs

Remember : can measure if listeners can “pick up” incongruous language

Weak = slight strangenessStrong=strong strangeness

Cz Cz

Musicians Non-musicians

Event-Related brain Potentials

Music

CongruousWeak incongruity

Strong incongruity

-10 µV

500 ms

+10 -10

Cz Cz

Musicians Non-musicians

Event-Related brain Potentials

Language

CongruousWeak incongruity

Strong incongruity

-10 µV

500 ms

+10 -10

b. Brain Imagingb. Brain Imaging

what fMRI pictures look like. . .what fMRI pictures look like. . .

Pure word deafnessPure word deafness1. no speech

comprehension, but normal reaction to sounds; e.g., car horn, doorbell

2. own speech is normal

3. read and write normally, so can follow written instructions

4. bilateral damage to primary auditory cortex

b. Brain imagingb. Brain imaging

Are your two languages going to be located in different Are your two languages going to be located in different areas of the brain depending on when you learned areas of the brain depending on when you learned your L2?your L2?

Kim, Reilkin, Lee, & Hirsch, 1997Kim, Reilkin, Lee, & Hirsch, 1997 Early bilinguals (childhood, before age 8)Early bilinguals (childhood, before age 8) Late bilinguals (adulthood, mostly after age 20)Late bilinguals (adulthood, mostly after age 20) Task, imagine describing a scenario in one language Task, imagine describing a scenario in one language

vs. anothervs. another fMRI scans during imagined speaking taskfMRI scans during imagined speaking task

b. Brain imagingb. Brain imaging

Kim, Relkin, Kim, & Hirsch (1997). Nature.

b. Brain imagingb. Brain imaging

Kim, Relkin, Kim, & Hirsch (1997). Nature. Late bilingual brain

b. Brain imagingb. Brain imaging

Kim, Relkin, Kim, & Hirsch (1997). Nature. Early bilingual brain

b. Brain imagingb. Brain imaging

What if you heard Korean your first 3 years of What if you heard Korean your first 3 years of life, then were adopted, then are re-exposed to life, then were adopted, then are re-exposed to Korean—can you recognize it? Does your Korean—can you recognize it? Does your brain process it as language?brain process it as language?

VentureyraVentureyra , , Pallier & Hi-Yon Yoo (2004): Pallier & Hi-Yon Yoo (2004): Native French and native “Korean” speakers Native French and native “Korean” speakers listened to Polish, Japanese and Korean . . . listened to Polish, Japanese and Korean . . .

Can you perceive a language you Can you perceive a language you haven’t heard for a long time?haven’t heard for a long time?

No—French group never exposed to Korean perceives voiceless Korean consonants just like Korean group

c. Aphasiac. Aphasia

Two most common types of aphasia?Two most common types of aphasia?

Broca’sBroca’s Wernike’sWernike’s

What happens when there is damage to these two What happens when there is damage to these two areas of the brain?areas of the brain?

c. Aphasiac. Aphasia

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=aphasia&emb=0&aq=f&aq=f#q=aphasia&emb=0&aq=f&aq=f&start=30

Global aphasia: http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3726533/10242302

http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f123/chelsey37/?action=view&current=aphasia.flv

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=aphasia&emb=0&aq=f&aq=f#q=aphasia%20&emb=0&start=210

c. Aphasia c. Aphasia

Case 1: Dutch-English—learned English at 19 Case 1: Dutch-English—learned English at 19

Case 2: English-Spanish—learned Spanish at age 6Case 2: English-Spanish—learned Spanish at age 6

c. Aphasiac. Aphasia

How does aphasia affect bilinguals?How does aphasia affect bilinguals?

Ways that languages can be recovered in Bilingual Ways that languages can be recovered in Bilingual Aphasia (Paradis, 1989)Aphasia (Paradis, 1989)

1.1. Synergistic Synergistic 49%49%

2.2. AntagonisticAntagonistic 4%4%

3.3. SuccessiveSuccessive 6%6%

4.4. SelectiveSelective 27%27%

5.5. MixedMixed 12%12%

Language DisordersLanguage Disorders

December 5, 2008December 5, 2008

Language DisordersLanguage Disorders

1.1. Observations—ExperimentalObservations—Experimental

a. William’s syndrome (low cognitive a. William’s syndrome (low cognitive abilities, high linguistic abilities)abilities, high linguistic abilities)

b. Developmental language disorder (normal b. Developmental language disorder (normal cognitive abilities, low linguistic abilities)cognitive abilities, low linguistic abilities)

2.2. Brain imagingBrain imaging

a. Schizophrenia a. Schizophrenia

b. Dyslexia b. Dyslexia

a. William’s Syndromea. William’s Syndrome (Chatterbox Syndrome) (Chatterbox Syndrome)

(Bellugi, et al., 1990) (Bellugi, et al., 1990)

Affects 1 in 20,000 birthsAffects 1 in 20,000 births

Characteristics:Characteristics:

Cardiovascular problemsCardiovascular problems

Loss of genes that affect brain development Loss of genes that affect brain development

and protein uptakeand protein uptake

Elfin facial featuresElfin facial features

Disabilities in spatial abilities, math, cognitive reasoningDisabilities in spatial abilities, math, cognitive reasoning

Inability to capture wholistic understanding of eventsInability to capture wholistic understanding of events

IQ ranging from 40 to 60IQ ranging from 40 to 60

a. William’s Syndrome a. William’s Syndrome (Chatterbox Syndrome)(Chatterbox Syndrome)

But: Have incredible social and linguistic abilitiesBut: Have incredible social and linguistic abilities

a. Exaggerated prosody and tonea. Exaggerated prosody and toneb. Extensive vocabularies—when asked to name b. Extensive vocabularies—when asked to name

animals, name yak, ibsen, and other exotic animals animals, name yak, ibsen, and other exotic animals before naming things like dog, cat, etc.before naming things like dog, cat, etc.

c. Extensive abilities to write, speak, and describe c. Extensive abilities to write, speak, and describe storiesstories

d. Normal phonological memoryd. Normal phonological memory

b. Familial Aggregation of a b. Familial Aggregation of a developmental language disorder developmental language disorder

(Gopnik and Crago, 1991)(Gopnik and Crago, 1991)Language impairment not caused by cognitive disorders Language impairment not caused by cognitive disorders

like retardation, perceptual disorders like deafness, and like retardation, perceptual disorders like deafness, and social disorders like Autismsocial disorders like Autism

Affects about half of familyAffects about half of family

One grandmotherOne grandmother

Out of her 5 children, 4 are linguistically impairedOut of her 5 children, 4 are linguistically impaired

Out of her 23 grandchildren, 11 are linguistically impairedOut of her 23 grandchildren, 11 are linguistically impaired

Gopnik traces the impairment to a single dominant geneGopnik traces the impairment to a single dominant gene

b. Familial Aggregation of a b. Familial Aggregation of a developmental language disorder developmental language disorder

(Gopnik and Crago, 1991)(Gopnik and Crago, 1991)1. Loss of grammatical ability:1. Loss of grammatical ability:

a. It’s a flying finches, they area. It’s a flying finches, they are

b. She remembered when she hurts herself the other day.b. She remembered when she hurts herself the other day.

c. The boys eat four cookiec. The boys eat four cookie

d. Carol is cry in the church.d. Carol is cry in the church.

..

2. Loss of comprehension2. Loss of comprehension

Unable to carry out complex commands and understand Unable to carry out complex commands and understand complexities in languagecomplexities in language

The lady pointing to tree and man is watch her. The ambulance come along because man fall off the tree

3. Language Disorders and the 3. Language Disorders and the BrainBrain

DyslexiaDyslexia SchizophreniaSchizophrenia AutismAutism ADHDADHD

The next two slides show brain imaging differences between dyslexics and controls during a lexical access task using functional MR imaging. The red boxes show areas of brain activation as measured by blood oxygenation. Notice that all of the 6 normal subjects have activation in the insula (upper oval) and in the temporal lobe (lower oval). None of the dyslexic subjects had activation in the insula and they had inconsistent activation in the temporal lobe.(Data from the University of Washington Learning DisabilityCenter)

a. Dyslexia

Control - Lexical Access task

Dyslexics - Lexical Access Task

LeftAnterior

Dyslexic Example Control Example

LeftAnterior

Functional MR spectroscopic images during a phonological task. The red boxes show areas of brain activation as measured by brain lactate changes. The image on the left is from a dyslexic subject. The image on the right is from a "normal" volunteer. The subject's left side is on the image right side (radiological convention). Notice the dyslexic subject has large activation in the left anterior region of the brain. This kind of difference is specific to the phonological task. (Data from the University of Washington Learning DisabilityCenter)

b. Schizophreniab. Schizophrenia

HyperfrontalityHyperfrontality First shown by Ingvar and Franzén 1973 First shown by Ingvar and Franzén 1973 Most pronounced in chronic patients with very long-Most pronounced in chronic patients with very long-

lasting hospitalization and treatment with lasting hospitalization and treatment with neuroleptics. Patients display predominantly neuroleptics. Patients display predominantly negative symptoms.negative symptoms.

Unmedicated acutely ill schizophrenic patients show Unmedicated acutely ill schizophrenic patients show slightly decreased, normal or even elevated frontal slightly decreased, normal or even elevated frontal (resting) blood flow levels dependent upon the (resting) blood flow levels dependent upon the symptoms displayed.symptoms displayed.

b. Schizophreniab. Schizophrenia

PET studies on the task of verbal generation in superior temporal PET studies on the task of verbal generation in superior temporal gyrus (STG) (Frith et al., 1995)gyrus (STG) (Frith et al., 1995)Normal participantsNormal participants

STG was activated by listening to spoken language, but inhibited STG was activated by listening to spoken language, but inhibited during self-generated speech.during self-generated speech.

No such inhibition was recorded during PET scanning, No such inhibition was recorded during PET scanning, suggesting that self-monitoring of speech signals is a key suggesting that self-monitoring of speech signals is a key component of the disorder.component of the disorder.

b. Schizophreniab. Schizophrenia

Seal et al. (2004): Schizophrenia patients cannot tell the Seal et al. (2004): Schizophrenia patients cannot tell the difference between their own voice and other voices. difference between their own voice and other voices. Controls can. Schizophrenia patients’ “auditory Controls can. Schizophrenia patients’ “auditory hallucinations” is the inability to tell the difference hallucinations” is the inability to tell the difference between their own self-monitoring speech and the speech between their own self-monitoring speech and the speech of others. of others.

Normal inter-hemispheric integration:Normal inter-hemispheric integration:Inhibition of any awareness by the verbally expressive Inhibition of any awareness by the verbally expressive

hemispheric consciousness that it actually receives and hemispheric consciousness that it actually receives and sends thoughts, intentions, and feelings from and to sends thoughts, intentions, and feelings from and to another consciousness.another consciousness.

In schizophrenia this integration is disturbed with the result In schizophrenia this integration is disturbed with the result that the LH consciousness becomes aware of an influence that the LH consciousness becomes aware of an influence from an “external” force, which in fact is the RH.from an “external” force, which in fact is the RH.

b. Schizophreniab. SchizophreniaIs there a cure?Is there a cure?Romme et al. (1993)Romme et al. (1993)

700 people responded to TV program700 people responded to TV program400 had voices400 had voices

350 difficult to cope350 difficult to cope100 coped well100 coped wellDifferences between groups:Differences between groups:

Positive voicesPositive voicesLess commandingLess commandingSet more limits/ listen selectivelySet more limits/ listen selectivelyCommunicate about voices with othersCommunicate about voices with others

rCBF differences between controls and 6 schizophrenic patients with abnormal performance on the auditory recognition task

Reduced communication between frontal and temporal lobes during talking in schizophrenia

Ford et al., Biol. Psychiatry, 51, 485-492, 2002

d. Autismd. Autism

Autism between 0.1-0.3%Autism between 0.1-0.3% Asperger’s syndrome 0.20-0.48%Asperger’s syndrome 0.20-0.48% Autism spectrum disturbance 0.1-0.6%Autism spectrum disturbance 0.1-0.6% Later studies show that the total prevalence Later studies show that the total prevalence for autism spectrum disturbances is between for autism spectrum disturbances is between 0.5-0.8%0.5-0.8%

Cognitive disturbances in Autism Cognitive disturbances in Autism spectrum disordersspectrum disorders

Deficient Deficient mentalizingmentalizing (theory of mind, (theory of mind, empathy)empathy)

Deficient Deficient central coherencecentral coherence Deficient Deficient executive functionsexecutive functions Difficulties with Difficulties with automatizationautomatization and and

generalizationgeneralization

10 functional brain imaging studies of mentalizing in autism

Frith, U. & Frith C., Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B, 358, 459-473, 2003

Brain pathology in autismBrain pathology in autism

Subnormal frontal activation during execution Subnormal frontal activation during execution of theory of mind tasks.of theory of mind tasks.

Cerebellar abnormality (smaller or larger Cerebellar abnormality (smaller or larger vermis area).vermis area).

Less activation of ”face specific” brain areas.Less activation of ”face specific” brain areas. Deviant visual search in social situations; Deviant visual search in social situations;

difficulties recognizing social meaning.difficulties recognizing social meaning.