Language Processing as a Precursor to Language Change: Evidence From Icelandic

One of the main characteristics of human languages is that they are subject to fundamental changes over time. However, because of the long transitional periods involved, the internal dynamics of such changes are typically inaccessible. Here, we present a new approach to examining language change via...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inFrontiers in psychology Vol. 10; p. 3013
Main Authors Bornkessel-Schlesewsky, Ina, Roehm, Dietmar, Mailhammer, Robert, Schlesewsky, Matthias
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 17.01.2020
Subjects
event-related potentials
Icelandic
language change
language comprehension
late positivity
N400
Psychology
language comprehension
N400
Icelandic
event-related potentials
late positivity
language change
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:One of the main characteristics of human languages is that they are subject to fundamental changes over time. However, because of the long transitional periods involved, the internal dynamics of such changes are typically inaccessible. Here, we present a new approach to examining language change via its connection to language comprehension. By means of an EEG experiment on Icelandic, a prominent current example of a language in transition, we show that the neurophysiological responses of native speakers already reflect projected changes that are not yet apparent in their overt behavior. Neurocognitive measures thus offer a means of predicting, rather than only retracing, language change.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 23
Reviewed by: Zude Zhu, Jiangsu Normal University, China; Paolo Canal, University Institute of Higher Studies in Pavia, Italy
Edited by: Olga V. Shcherbakova, Saint Petersburg State University, Russia
This article was submitted to Language Sciences, a section of the journal Frontiers in Psychology
ISSN:1664-1078
1664-1078
DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03013