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Formulaic speech in disorders of language

Diana Sidtis1*
  • 1 New York University, Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, United States

Organizer & Introduction: Diana Van Lancker Sidtis, New York University, Nathan Kline Institute, NY Presenters: Tania Kouteva, University of Düsseldorf, Germany Benjamin Stahl, Freie Üniversität Berlin, Germany Kelly Bridges, New York University, Nathan Kline Institute, NY, William Paterson University, NJ Seung-yun Yang, New York University, Nathan Kline Institute, NY Background Formulaic language (conversational speech formulas, idioms, recited speech) is important in communication, revealing a large repertory in various kinds of discourse. Damage in the left hemisphere (LH) is associated with a significant increase (30%) in formulaic expressions in spontaneous speech in comparison to healthy persons (25%), while right hemisphere (RH) damage yields a significant diminution (17%). Basal ganglia damage leads to impoverished proportions (Speedie et al., 1993), while Alzheimer’s disease (AD) features increased formulaic expressions. These observations have led to the “dual processing” model of language, whereby formulaic and grammatical language are processed differently in the brain. Presenters Dr. Tania Kuteva (Heine et al., 2014) presents a parallel between Formulaic vs. Novel language in the dual process model of Van Lancker Sidtis (2004, 2012), and Thetical Grammar vs. Sentence Grammar, within the framework of Discourse Grammar, showing how speech from persons with aphasia and LH damage contrasts systematically with data from persons with RH damage. There is a preponderance of impaired Sentence Grammar in LH damage, and, by contrast, greater difficulties with Thetical Grammar in RH dysfunction (Heine et al. 2014). This linguistic perspective supports a distinct role for formulaic expressions in cerebral processing. Dr. Benjamin Stahl (et al., 2011, 2013) investigated the influence of melody, rhythm, and formulaic expressions on aphasic speech and language recovery after LH stroke. Results suggest that the efficacy of melody-based aphasia therapy may depend on rhythm and formulaic expressions. Rhythmic pacing and successful retention of formulaic expressions surpassed the effects of melodic intonation. Patients with non-fluent aphasia were able to use formulaic language resources in therapy, establishing an individual formulaic repertoire to communicate basic needs. This talk has implications for a role of formulaic expressions in language rehabilitation, a concept which has yet to be adopted in current, standard treatment approaches. Dr. Kelly Bridges will present findings on spontaneous speech in AD and on recited speech in PD (Bridges et al., 2013a, b). Quantification of formulaic expressions in monologues in AD revealed a significantly higher incidence, while a study of recited speech in Parkinson’s disease showed a deficiency. Given that AD maintains functional subcortical systems while PD involves dysfunctional basal ganglia, these findings lend support to the notion that production of formulaic language relies on subcortical motor systems. Dr. Seung-yun Yang (2014) obtained speech samples that can be produced with either an idiomatic or a literal meaning (e.g., “It broke the ice”) from native speakers of Korean with focal left (LH) or right hemisphere (RH) lesions. Measures were listening studies, acoustic analysis of F0 and duration, and subjective ratings of voice. Healthy listeners failed in discerning this contrast in speech produced in RH damage. Acoustic analyses revealed that F0 measures deviated from normal in the RH group and durational measures were abnormal in the LH group. Summary Formulaic language studies remain less well recognized in language disorders. Profiles of differential formulaic language abilities in neurological disease have implications for cerebral models of language and for clinical evaluation and treatment of neurogenic language disorders.

Acknowledgements

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References

References
Bridges, K. & Van Lancker Sidtis, D. (2013). Formulaic language in Alzheimer’s disease. Aphasiology, 27, 799-810. doi:10.1080/02687038.2012.757760
Bridges, K., Van Lancker Sidtis, D., & Sidtis, J. J. (2013). The role of subcortical structures in recited speech: Studies in Parkinson’s disease. Journal of Neurolinguistics, 26, 591-601. doi:10.1016/j.jneuroling.2013.04.001
Heine, B., Kuteva, T., & Kalterböck, G. (2014). Discourse, grammar, the dual process model, and brain lateralization: some correlations. Language and Cognition, 6, 146-180.
Speedie, L.J., Wertman, E., Ta’ir, J., & Heilman, K.M. (1993). Disruption of automatic speech following a right basal ganglia lesion. Neurology, 43(9), 1768-1774.
Stahl, B., Kotz, S. A., Henseler, I., Turner, R., & Geyer, S. (2011). Rhythm in disguise: Why singing may not hold the key to recovery from aphasia. Brain, 134(10), 3083–3093.
Stahl, B., Henseler, I., Turner, R., Geyer, S., & Kotz, S. A. (2013). How to engage the right brain hemisphere in aphasics without even singing: Evidence for two paths of speech recovery. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7(35), 1–12.
Van Lancker-Sidtis, D. (2004). When novel sentences spoken or heard for the first time in the history of the universe are not enough : Toward a dual-process model of language. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 39 (1), 1-44.
Van Lancker Sidtis, D. (2012). Formulaic language and language disorders. The Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 32, 62-80.
Yang, S.-Y. (2014). The ability of left- and right-hemisphere damaged individuals to produce prosodic cues to disambiguate Korean pragmatic sentences. International Conference on Linguistic Phonetics and Linguistics, June, Stockholm.

Keywords: Aphasia, formulaic language, right hemisphere damage, Alzheimer Disease, models of language, Basal Ganglia

Conference: Academy of Aphasia -- 52nd Annual Meeting, Miami, FL, United States, 5 Oct - 7 Oct, 2014.

Presentation Type: Symposium

Topic: Not student

Citation: Sidtis D (2014). Formulaic speech in disorders of language. Front. Psychol. Conference Abstract: Academy of Aphasia -- 52nd Annual Meeting. doi: 10.3389/conf.fpsyg.2014.64.00071

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Received: 25 Apr 2014; Published Online: 04 Aug 2014.

* Correspondence: Prof. Diana Sidtis, New York University, Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, New York, New Yo, 10901, United States, diana.sidtis@nyu.edu