Learning a second language with the wrong neural scaffolding: the cost of committing to sounds
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1
University of California at Berkeley, United States
Throughout development, input is crucial for pruning many sensory circuits. Circuits expert in language processing are pruned based on exposure to native language sounds early in life. Here we examine if a commitment to one’s native language sounds carries a cost for adults learning a new language with a sound structure that is distinct from that of their first language. Adult, native-English speakers learned one of two miniature artificial languages (MALs) over the course of 4 days and were scanned. One MAL is phonologically similar to English (EP) and one is distinct (NEP). While knowledge of the MALs did not differ by the time of the scan, participants learned the NEP more slowly. During the scan, learners assessed the grammaticality of MAL sentences. NEP learners recruit more auditory, phonological, and frontal areas. There is also less overlap in recruitment for NEP and English than there is for EP and English. Together, behavioral and neural data suggest that learning the grammar of a second language is affected by the phonological scaffolding supporting it. Because the NEP phonology is different from English, learners are less able to take advantage of their existing phonological knowledge and its corresponding neural circuitry.
Conference:
Conference on Neurocognitive Development, Berkeley, CA, United States, 12 Jul - 14 Jul, 2009.
Presentation Type:
Oral Presentation
Topic:
Language
Citation:
Finn
A
(2009). Learning a second language with the wrong neural scaffolding: the cost of committing to sounds.
Conference Abstract:
Conference on Neurocognitive Development.
doi: 10.3389/conf.neuro.09.2009.10.009
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Received:
06 Jul 2009;
Published Online:
06 Jul 2009.
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Correspondence:
Amy Finn, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, United States, amyfinn@berkeley.edu