Neural basis for processing hidden complexity indexed by small and finite clauses in Mandarin Chinese
In this study we investigate how the human brain processes small clauses and finite clauses. Small clauses are instances of ‘simpler’ syntax in the sense that they do not involve operations such as Move and Tense, and have been argued to represent an earlier stage of syntactic evolution before the d...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
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PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
2015
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| Online Access: | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0911604414000554 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/86390 |
| _version_ | 1848764820118044672 |
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| author | Ansaldo, Umberto Lai, Jackie Jia, Fanlu Siok, Wai Ting Tan, Li Hai Matthews, Stephen |
| author_facet | Ansaldo, Umberto Lai, Jackie Jia, Fanlu Siok, Wai Ting Tan, Li Hai Matthews, Stephen |
| author_sort | Ansaldo, Umberto |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | In this study we investigate how the human brain processes small clauses and finite clauses. Small clauses are instances of ‘simpler’ syntax in the sense that they do not involve operations such as Move and Tense, and have been argued to represent an earlier stage of syntactic evolution before the development of fully-fledged syntax (Bickerton, 1990; Jackendoff 2010; Uriagereka, 2008). Understanding how the brain processes instances of different levels of syntactic complexity may further our understanding of (i) the analytical functions of specific brain regions, and (ii) the distribution of labor in the interpretation or different levels of syntax. To pursue this hypothesis, we ask whether small clauses require different analytical processes than regular syntax. This report provides evidence that they do. In an fMRI study of syntactic processing in a group of Mandarin speakers, small clauses showed greater activation of areas involved in semantic processing. In addition, both small and finite clauses showed substantial activation of areas implicated in syntactic and semantic processing, including significant RH activation. We interpret these findings with reference to Levinson’s articulatory bottleneck: structures which appear simpler in terms of syntactic production may require more effort in parsing. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:25:25Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-86390 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:25:25Z |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publisher | PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-863902021-11-11T07:44:03Z Neural basis for processing hidden complexity indexed by small and finite clauses in Mandarin Chinese Ansaldo, Umberto Lai, Jackie Jia, Fanlu Siok, Wai Ting Tan, Li Hai Matthews, Stephen Social Sciences Science & Technology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Linguistics Neurosciences Psychology, Experimental Neurosciences & Neurology Psychology Language processing Syntax Semantics Mandarin Chinese BRAIN REPRESENTATION HEMISPHERES EVOLUTION SYNTAX DONT In this study we investigate how the human brain processes small clauses and finite clauses. Small clauses are instances of ‘simpler’ syntax in the sense that they do not involve operations such as Move and Tense, and have been argued to represent an earlier stage of syntactic evolution before the development of fully-fledged syntax (Bickerton, 1990; Jackendoff 2010; Uriagereka, 2008). Understanding how the brain processes instances of different levels of syntactic complexity may further our understanding of (i) the analytical functions of specific brain regions, and (ii) the distribution of labor in the interpretation or different levels of syntax. To pursue this hypothesis, we ask whether small clauses require different analytical processes than regular syntax. This report provides evidence that they do. In an fMRI study of syntactic processing in a group of Mandarin speakers, small clauses showed greater activation of areas involved in semantic processing. In addition, both small and finite clauses showed substantial activation of areas implicated in syntactic and semantic processing, including significant RH activation. We interpret these findings with reference to Levinson’s articulatory bottleneck: structures which appear simpler in terms of syntactic production may require more effort in parsing. 2015 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/86390 10.1016/j.jneuroling.2014.08.005 en https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0911604414000554 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Social Sciences Science & Technology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Linguistics Neurosciences Psychology, Experimental Neurosciences & Neurology Psychology Language processing Syntax Semantics Mandarin Chinese BRAIN REPRESENTATION HEMISPHERES EVOLUTION SYNTAX DONT Ansaldo, Umberto Lai, Jackie Jia, Fanlu Siok, Wai Ting Tan, Li Hai Matthews, Stephen Neural basis for processing hidden complexity indexed by small and finite clauses in Mandarin Chinese |
| title | Neural basis for processing hidden complexity indexed by small and finite clauses in Mandarin Chinese |
| title_full | Neural basis for processing hidden complexity indexed by small and finite clauses in Mandarin Chinese |
| title_fullStr | Neural basis for processing hidden complexity indexed by small and finite clauses in Mandarin Chinese |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neural basis for processing hidden complexity indexed by small and finite clauses in Mandarin Chinese |
| title_short | Neural basis for processing hidden complexity indexed by small and finite clauses in Mandarin Chinese |
| title_sort | neural basis for processing hidden complexity indexed by small and finite clauses in mandarin chinese |
| topic | Social Sciences Science & Technology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Linguistics Neurosciences Psychology, Experimental Neurosciences & Neurology Psychology Language processing Syntax Semantics Mandarin Chinese BRAIN REPRESENTATION HEMISPHERES EVOLUTION SYNTAX DONT |
| url | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0911604414000554 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/86390 |