In the past four years a series of experiments was conducted to investigate functional differences among a number of Dutch accent-lending pitch configurations. Using the Grammar of Dutch Intonation [1] as a starting point, meaning... more
In the past four years a series of experiments was conducted to investigate functional differences among a number of Dutch accent-lending pitch configurations. Using the Grammar of Dutch Intonation [1] as a starting point, meaning hypotheses were derived from the linguistic analyses by Gussenhoven [2] and Keijsper [3]. Perception experiments—in which subjects matched situational contexts with target utterances spoken with the various pitch accent types—provided support for the hypothesis that ‘1&A’ (‘pointed hat’, ‘H*L’, ‘default accent’) marks information as prominent and new, while other accent types are more limited in use because they carry another additional meaning aspect, e.g., prominence and continuation. These results are potentially relevant to the improvement of speech understanding as well as speech output in Dutch spoken dialogue systems.
This study aimed to examine the role of Language Analytic Ability (LAA) in feedback processing during the acquisition of a novel language. We investigated whether the neural basis of feedback processing during an artificial... more
This study aimed to examine the role of Language Analytic Ability (LAA) in feedback processing during the acquisition of a novel language. We investigated whether the neural basis of feedback processing during an artificial grammar-learning (AGL) task differs between populations of highly and moderately skilled second language learners. Two groups (high vs. moderate LAA) of 15 participants each were formed on the basis of a test measuring LAA (part of the LLAMA language aptitude test) in a large group of participants (N=200). Participants performed an AGL task that consisted of learning and test phases. Event-related potentials (ERPs) evoked by feedback provided after participants’ grammaticality judgments on test items were analyzed. Behavioral data showed a learning effect in both groups, with a faster rate of learning for the highly skilled learners. Between-group analyses were performed with group as independent variable and mean amplitudes of feedback-related negativity (FRN) a...
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This study investigates how beginning and advanced Dutch learners of Mandarin process Mandarin tonal information. An ABX matching to sample task is adopted to investigate the discrimination of tonal pairs, the redistribution of attention... more
This study investigates how beginning and advanced Dutch learners of Mandarin process Mandarin tonal information. An ABX matching to sample task is adopted to investigate the discrimination of tonal pairs, the redistribution of attention between segmental and suprasegmental information, and the integrality of segmental and suprasegmental dimensions. Results show a clear developmental path in tone learning. The advanced learners can discriminate Mandarin tonal contrasts effectively. Moreover, they have learned to redistribute their attention between segmental and suprasegmental information, and they process these dimensions in an integrated manner like Mandarin native speaker. This reflects that the acquisition of new tonal categories in L2 involves a redistribution of attention along acoustic dimensions and the development of segment-tone integration.
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Following Opitz and Friederici (2003) suggesting interactions of the hippocampal system and the prefrontal cortex as the neural mechanism underlying novel grammar learning, the present fMRI study investigated functional connectivity of... more
Following Opitz and Friederici (2003) suggesting interactions of the hippocampal system and the prefrontal cortex as the neural mechanism underlying novel grammar learning, the present fMRI study investigated functional connectivity of bilateral BA 44/45 and the hippocampus during an artificial grammar learning (AGL) task. Our results, contrary to the previously reported interactions, demonstrated parallel (but separate) contributions of both regions, each with their own interactions, to the process of novel grammar acquisition. The functional connectivity pattern of Broca's area pointed to the importance of coherent activity of left frontal areas around the core language processing region for successful grammar learning. Furthermore, connectivity patterns of left and right hippocampi (predominantly with occipital areas) were found to be a strong predictor of high performance on the task. Finally, increasing functional connectivity over time of both left and right BA 44/45 with ...
Research Interests: Neuroscience, Computer Science, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Language, Medicine, and 15 moreFMRI, Learning, Language Learning, Brain Mapping, Functional Connectivity, Hippocampus, Humans, Grammar, Female, Neuroimage, Male, Artificial Grammar Learning, Adult, Neural pathways, and Medical and Health Sciences
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It has been reported that prosody contributes to the identification of utterances which lack lexico-syntactic indicators of interrogativity but do have characteristic prosodic correlates (e.g.
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This study investigates how beginner and advanced Dutch learners of Mandarin process tonal information. An ABX task was adopted to investigate phonological discrimination of Mandarin tones and segment-tone integration in Dutch learners of... more
This study investigates how beginner and advanced Dutch learners of Mandarin process tonal information. An ABX task was adopted to investigate phonological discrimination of Mandarin tones and segment-tone integration in Dutch learners of Mandarin, with both native Mandarin and Dutch speakers (without tonal learning experience) as control groups. Results showed a developmental path in lexical tone processing. The beginner learners could not process tonal contrast adequately at the phonological level, and they processed segmental and tonal information separately, like native Dutch listeners without Mandarin experience. The advanced learners showed a good phonological discrimination of tonal contrasts. They showed a more native-like pattern in distributing their attention between segmental and tonal information, and they processed the two dimensions in an integrated manner, similar to native Mandarin listeners. This suggests that the acquisition of new tonal categories in L2 involves ...
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In this paper, we investigate the effect of Dutch stress misplacements on the perception and subsequent production by Francophone learners of Dutch in a word naming task. The results suggest that Francophones experience a strong bias... more
In this paper, we investigate the effect of Dutch stress misplacements on the perception and subsequent production by Francophone learners of Dutch in a word naming task. The results suggest that Francophones experience a strong bias towards the final syllable when perceiving Dutch words and producing Dutch stress. Moreover, the results suggest that Francophones are less sensitive to misstressing than natives.
Research Interests: Psychology, Computer Science, Perception, Production, Speech perception, and 3 moreStress, Dutch, and French
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Studies in bilingualism have shown that words activate form-similar neighbors in both first (L1) and second (L2) languages. Accordingly, we hypothesized that the degree of form similarity between L1–L2 word pairs causes a proportional... more
Studies in bilingualism have shown that words activate form-similar neighbors in both first (L1) and second (L2) languages. Accordingly, we hypothesized that the degree of form similarity between L1–L2 word pairs causes a proportional amount of prosodic transfer in L2 speech production. Thus, cognate pairs L1–L2 which bear lexical stress in the same syllable position should be facilitated in L2 production, while cognates with stress on mismatching positions L1–L2 should be inhibited. The results of a speeded word naming task with English L2 speakers showed facilitation in production of cognate words overall. Concerning word stress in L1–L2, an opposite effect was found between 2- and 3-syllable cognate words, while no effect was found for non-cognates. The effects found for cognate words correlate with form similarity and L2 lexical frequency values, corroborating the hypotheses that lexical activation in L2 is non-selective and that the bilingual lexicon is built in association bet...
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How do non-native speakers of Dutch differ from native speakers in pitchaccent placement? Previous investigations report over-accentuation, but thereis also evidence that non-native (L2) speakers have no problems accenting newinformation... more
How do non-native speakers of Dutch differ from native speakers in pitchaccent placement? Previous investigations report over-accentuation, but thereis also evidence that non-native (L2) speakers have no problems accenting newinformation and deaccenting given information. A text was read aloud by L2speakers with Mandarin, French, Polish and Hungarian as native languages(L1). Based on native speaker production, the “accentability” of words wasdetermined. The L2 speakers produced most “obligatory” accents, but not most“forbidden” accents. Also, L2 speakers accented two thirds of the optionallyaccentable words, while L1 speakers accented only a third. These results suggestthat over-accentuation in L2 does not necessarily mean inappropriate pitchaccent location.
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The goal of this experiment is to find the most important phonetic features of Dutch accent-lending pitch movements, in terms of shape, pitch level and alignment with the segmental structure. Time pressure is used as a heuristic method to... more
The goal of this experiment is to find the most important phonetic features of Dutch accent-lending pitch movements, in terms of shape, pitch level and alignment with the segmental structure. Time pressure is used as a heuristic method to isolate important phonetic aspects of pitch movements, assuming that under time pressure the speaker will preserve those aspects. In a production experiment, accent-lending rises (‘l’) and falls (‘A’) were realized under various types of time pressure. The pitch rise is time-compressed under all pressure types, which would mean that the shape of the rise is relatively unimportant. The segmental alignment of the rise proved to be more important: the onset of the rise is synchronized with the syllable onset. For the fall no fixed synchronization point was found, but its shape was relatively invariant, indicating that shape rather than exact timing is the more important feature of the fall.
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It has been shown that prosody contributes to the contrast between declarativity and interrogativity, notably in interrogative utterances lacking lexico-syntactic features of interrogativity. Accordingly, it may be proposed that prosody... more
It has been shown that prosody contributes to the contrast between declarativity and interrogativity, notably in interrogative utterances lacking lexico-syntactic features of interrogativity. Accordingly, it may be proposed that prosody plays a role in marking wh-in-situ questions in which the interrogativity feature (the wh-phrase) does not move to sentence-initial position, as, for example, in Persian. This paper examines whether prosody distinguishes Persian wh-in-situ questions from declaratives in the absence of the interrogativity feature in the sentence-initial position. To answer this question, a production experiment was designed in which wh-questions and declaratives were elicited from Persian native speakers. On the basis of the results of previous studies, we hypothesize that prosodic features mark wh-in-situ questions as opposed to declaratives at both the local (pre- and post-wh part) and global level (complete sentence). The results of the current study confirm our hy...
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The goal of the present study was to investigate the initial phases of novel grammar learning on a neural level, concentrating on mechanisms responsible for individual variability between learners. Two groups of participants, one with... more
The goal of the present study was to investigate the initial phases of novel grammar learning on a neural level, concentrating on mechanisms responsible for individual variability between learners. Two groups of participants, one with high and one with average language analytical abilities, performed an Artificial Grammar Learning (AGL) task consisting of learning and test phases. During the task, EEG signals from 32 cap-mounted electrodes were recorded and epochs corresponding to the learning phases were analysed. We investigated spectral power modulations over time, and functional connectivity patterns by means of a bivariate, frequency-specific index of phase synchronization termed Phase Locking Value (PLV). Behavioural data showed learning effects in both groups, with a steeper learning curve and higher ultimate attainment for the highly skilled learners. Moreover, we established that cortical connectivity patterns and profiles of spectral power modulations over time differentia...
Research Interests: Psychology, Multilingualism, Electroencephalography, Linguistics, Adolescent, and 15 moreMedicine, Learning, Brain Mapping, Brain, Humans, Female, Male, Artificial Grammar Learning, Adult, Foreign Language Aptitude, EEG Phase Synchronization, language analytical ability, cortical conectivity, Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, and Medical and Health Sciences
There are two well-known models of Dutch intonation: the GDI or Grammar of Dutch Intonation and the autosegmental model formulated by Gussenhoven. Gussenhoven’s model distinguishes – at least – two different types of falling pitch accent... more
There are two well-known models of Dutch intonation: the GDI or Grammar of Dutch Intonation and the autosegmental model formulated by Gussenhoven. Gussenhoven’s model distinguishes – at least – two different types of falling pitch accent (%H H*L and %H !H*L), whereas the GDI recognizes only one type of accent-lending fall (‘A’). The aim of the experiments presented below is to find out whether Dutch has two types of falling pitch accent or not by investigating whether there is a systematic meaning difference associated with a difference in timing of the fall. Short sentences with an early fall, a late fall or a standard pointed hat contour (‘1&A’ or H*L) were presented in contexts varying the information status of the focused information, asking subjects to perform a number of comparison and rating tasks. Results indicate that the early and the late fall belong to separate linguistic categories.
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The goal of the present study was to investigate the initial phases of novel grammar learning on a neural level, concentrating on mechanisms responsible for individual variability between learners. Two groups of participants, one with... more
The goal of the present study was to investigate the initial phases of novel grammar learning on a neural level, concentrating on mechanisms responsible for individual variability between learners. Two groups of participants, one with high and one with average language analytical abilities, performed an Artificial Grammar Learning (AGL) task consisting of learning and test phases. During the task, EEG signals from 32 cap-mounted electrodes were recorded and epochs corresponding to the learning phases were analysed. We investigated spectral power modulations over time, and functional connectivity patterns by means of a bivariate, frequency-specific index of phase synchronization termed Phase Locking Value (PLV). Behavioural data showed learning effects in both groups, with a steeper learning curve and higher ultimate attainment for the highly skilled learners. Moreover, we established that cortical connectivity patterns and profiles of spectral power modulations over time differentia...
Research Interests: Multilingualism, Electroencephalography, Linguistics, Adolescent, Second Language Learning, and 15 moreLearning, Brain Mapping, Right Hemisphere Functions, Brain, Humans, Female, Male, Artificial Grammar Learning, Adult, Foreign Language Aptitude, EEG Phase Synchronization, language analytical ability, cortical conectivity, Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, and Medical and Health Sciences
Aiming at exploring the brain's structural organisation underlying successful second language learning, we investigate the anatomy of the perisylvian language network in a group of healthy adults, consisting of participants with high... more
Aiming at exploring the brain's structural organisation underlying successful second language learning, we investigate the anatomy of the perisylvian language network in a group of healthy adults, consisting of participants with high and average language analytical abilities. Utilising deterministic tractography, six tracts per participant (left and right long direct segment, left and right indirect anterior segment and left and right indirect posterior segment) were virtually dissected and measurements pertaining to their microstructural organisation were collected. Our results obtained by means of linear discriminant analysis pointed to mean diffusivity (MD) values of three tracts (right anterior, left long and left anterior segments) as best discriminating between the two groups. By far the highest coefficient was obtained for the MD values of the right anterior segment, pointing to the role of the right white matter fronto-parietal connectivity for superior language learning...
Research Interests: Multilingualism, Neuroimaging, Diffusion Tensor Imaging, Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, Neurolinguistics, and 15 moreDTI - Diffusion Tensor Imaging, Language Learning, Brain Mapping, Brain, Humans, Female, Male, Young Adult, Adult, Neural pathways, perisylvian language network, language analytical ability, Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging, and Medical and Health Sciences
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We examine the role of language analytical ability, one of the components of language aptitude - a specific ability for learning languages - during acquisition of a novel grammar. We investigated whether the neural basis of Artificial... more
We examine the role of language analytical ability, one of the components of language aptitude - a specific ability for learning languages - during acquisition of a novel grammar. We investigated whether the neural basis of Artificial Grammar Learning (AGL) differs between populations of highly and moderately skilled learners. Participants performed an AGL task during an fMRI scan and data from task's test phases were analysed. Highly skilled learners performed better than moderately skilled ones and engaged during the task more neural resources in the right hemisphere, i.e. in the right angular/supramarginal gyrus and superior frontal and middle frontal gyrus and in the posterior cingulate gyrus. Additional analyses investigating the temporal dynamics of brain activity during learning revealed lateralisation differences in the modulation of activity in the parietal and temporal cortex. In particular, the left angular gyrus BOLD activity was coupled with high performance on the ...
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Previous literature demonstrated the influential role of prediction in processing speech [Brazil, 1981. The place of intonation in a discourse model. In C. Malcolm & M. Montgomery (Eds.), Studies in discourse analysis (pp. 146–157).... more
Previous literature demonstrated the influential role of prediction in processing speech [Brazil, 1981. The place of intonation in a discourse model. In C. Malcolm & M. Montgomery (Eds.), Studies in discourse analysis (pp. 146–157). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul; Grosjean, 1983. How long is the sentence? Prediction and prosody in the on-line processing of language. Linguistics, 21, 501– 529, 1996a. Using prosody to predict the end of sentences in English and French: Normal and brain damaged subjects. Language and Cognitive Processes, 11, 107–134; Snedeker & Trueswell, 2003. Using prosody to avoid ambiguity: Effects of speaker awareness and referential context. Journal of Memory and Language, 48, 103–130], and of prosody in predicting the eventual syntactic structure of ambiguous sentences [e.g. Snedeker & Trueswell, 2003. Using prosody to avoid ambiguity: Effects of speaker awareness and referential context. Journal of Memory and Language, 48, 103–130]. Wh-in-situ questions contain...
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This experiment was designed to investigate whether the acoustic correlates of prosody of the pre-wh-part of the sentence differentiate in-situ-wh-questions from declaratives in Persian. To accomplish the purpose of this research 115... more
This experiment was designed to investigate whether the acoustic correlates of prosody of the pre-wh-part of the sentence differentiate in-situ-wh-questions from declaratives in Persian. To accomplish the purpose of this research 115 declaratives and 115 in-situ-wh-questions were constructed. These sentences were elicited from eight Persian native speakers in a sentence elicitation task. The contrast between the prosody of the pre-wh-part of the sentence in declaratives and in-situ-wh-questions appears to have clear acoustic correlates, which can be captured in terms of a higher pitch level and shorter duration of the pre-wh-part in wh-questions and a larger pitch excursion size of the word immediately preceding the wh-word. This finding provides evidence for the claim [14] that questions universally differ from statements in that the former have some element of high pitch that is absent in the latter. In addition, the result implies that the in-situ-wh-questions can potentially be ...
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The present study is concerned with functional differences between the accent-lending rise followed by sustained level pitch (GDI-notation "10," cf., 't Hart, Collier, and Cohen, 1990) and the combination of the... more
The present study is concerned with functional differences between the accent-lending rise followed by sustained level pitch (GDI-notation "10," cf., 't Hart, Collier, and Cohen, 1990) and the combination of the accent-lending rise and final rise ("12") in Dutch. Theoretical analyses of the meaning of Dutch intonation claim that "10" can be interpreted as a question. In contrast, recent investigations of the relevance of intonation for turn-taking indicate that "10" signals that the speaker wants to keep the turn. The main goal of the present experimental investigation is to find evidence for the idea that speakers may use contour "10" to keep the floor. Thirty subjects were presented with short utterances bearing either a "12" or a "10" contour in three perception experiments. Results support the hypothesis that "10" is not readily interpreted as a question, as opposed to contour "12," whi...
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ABSTRACT The central question in the current research is whether the prosodic structure of the first language (L1) influences production of word stress in Dutch as a second language (DSL). In Dutch the position of word stress can be... more
ABSTRACT The central question in the current research is whether the prosodic structure of the first language (L1) influences production of word stress in Dutch as a second language (DSL). In Dutch the position of word stress can be predicted on the basis of phonological and morphological rules, but there are many exceptions to these rules. In the current investigation existing Dutch words were used, varying the predictability of the stress position systematically. As L1s French, Mandarin Chinese, Polish and Hungarian were selected. For each L1 five intermediate DSL-speakers were asked to read aloud a set of stimulus materials. Results reveal that the non-native speakers do make word stress errors, but transfer of the L1 prosodic system does not seem to be the main cause. Instead overgeneralization of stress rules provides a better explanation of the errors, pointing to spontaneous acquisition of the Dutch word stress systematics.
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Prosody plays an influential role in the recognition of Persian wh-in-situ questions (Shiamizadeh et al., in press). Perception of speech intonation is supported by several prosodic correlates (Lehiste, 1970). For instance, perception... more
Prosody plays an influential role in the recognition of Persian wh-in-situ questions (Shiamizadeh et al., in press). Perception of speech intonation is supported by several prosodic correlates (Lehiste, 1970). For instance, perception studies demonstrate that prosodic correlates do not contribute similarly to the identification of contrasts (oppositions) in speech intonation, and F0 contributes more prominently to the categorization of contrast in speech intonation (Lehiste, 1976; Peng et al., 2012). The current study manipulates a number of different prosodic correlates to investigate their relative contribution to sentence type categorization in Persian. This study also investigates whether identification is improved in congruent cue conditions in comparison to conflicting cue conditions. For this purpose, a perception experiment was designed in which native Persian speakers were required to listen to manipulated stimuli and decide if they perceived a wh-question or a declarative sentence. Based on the literature, we expect a primary role for F0 and a secondary role for duration in the perception of sentence modality contrasts. We also predict improved identification of sentence type in matching cue conditions in comparison to mismatch-ing cue conditions. The results of the study confirm our predictions, i.e. a primary role of F0, and an increased identification in the matching cue condition is applicable to the perception of the contrast between Persian wh-in-situ questions and declaratives.
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It has been reported that prosody contributes to the identification of utterances which lack lexico-syntactic indicators of interrogativity but do have characteristic prosodic correlates (e.g. Vion and Colas 2006. Pitch cues for the... more
It has been reported that prosody contributes to the identification of utterances which lack lexico-syntactic indicators of interrogativity but do have characteristic prosodic correlates (e.g. Vion and Colas 2006. Pitch cues for the recognition of yes-no questions in French. Journal of Psycholinguistics Research 35. 427–445). In Persian wh-in-situ questions, the interrogativity device (the wh-phrase) does not move to the sentence-initial position, and the pre-wh part is characterized by specific prosodic correlates (Shiamizadeh et al. 2016. Do Persian native speakers prosodically mark wh-in-situ questions? Manuscript submitted for publication). The current experiment investigates the role of prosody in the perception of Persian wh-in-situ questions as opposed to declaratives. To this end, an experiment was designed in which Persian native speakers were asked to choose the correct sentence type after hearing only the pre-wh part of a sentence. We hypothesized that prosody guides perception of wh-in-situ questions independent of wh-phrase type. The results of the experiment corroborate our hypothesis. The outcome is discussed in terms of Ohala´s frequency code, and Bolinger´s claim about the universal dichotomous association between relaxation and declarativity on the one hand and tension and interrogativity on the other hand.
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A B S T R A C T Following Opitz and Friederici (2003) suggesting interactions of the hippocampal system and the prefrontal cortex as the neural mechanism underlying novel grammar learning, the present fMRI study investigated functional... more
A B S T R A C T Following Opitz and Friederici (2003) suggesting interactions of the hippocampal system and the prefrontal cortex as the neural mechanism underlying novel grammar learning, the present fMRI study investigated functional connectivity of bilateral BA 44/45 and the hippocampus during an artificial grammar learning (AGL) task. Our results, contrary to the previously reported interactions, demonstrated parallel (but separate) contributions of both regions, each with their own interactions, to the process of novel grammar acquisition. The functional connectivity pattern of Broca's area pointed to the importance of coherent activity of left frontal areas around the core language processing region for successful grammar learning. Furthermore, connectivity patterns of left and right hippocampi (predominantly with occipital areas) were found to be a strong predictor of high performance on the task. Finally, increasing functional connectivity over time of both left and right BA 44/45 with the right posterior cingulate cortex and the right temporo-parietal areas points to the importance of multimodal and attentional processes supporting novel grammar acquisition. Moreover, it highlights the right-hemispheric involvement in initial stages of L2 learning. These latter interactions were found to operate irrespective of the task performance, making them an obligatory mechanism accompanying novel grammar learning.
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It has been shown that prosody contributes to the contrast between declarativity and interro-gativity, notably in interrogative utterances lacking lexico-syntactic features of interrogativity. Accordingly, it may be proposed that prosody... more
It has been shown that prosody contributes to the contrast between declarativity and interro-gativity, notably in interrogative utterances lacking lexico-syntactic features of interrogativity. Accordingly, it may be proposed that prosody plays a role in marking wh-in-situ questions in which the interrogativity feature (the wh-phrase) does not move to sentence-initial position, as, for example, in Persian. This paper examines whether prosody distinguishes Persian wh-in-situ questions from declaratives in the absence of the interrogativity feature in the sentence-initial position. To answer this question, a production experiment was designed in which wh-questions and declaratives were elicited from Persian native speakers. On the basis of the results of previous studies, we hypothesize that prosodic features mark wh-in-situ questions as opposed to declaratives at both the local (pre-and post-wh part) and global level (complete sentence). The results of the current study confirm our hypothesis that prosodic correlates mark the pre-wh part as well as the complete sentence in wh-in-situ questions. The results support theoretical concepts such as the frequency code, the universal dichotomous association between relaxation and declarativity on the one hand and tension and interrogativity on the other, the relation between prosody and pragmatics, and the relation between prosody and encoding and decoding of sentence type.