Research Group Neurophonetics, Department of General Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Germany; MR Research Group, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University of Tübingen, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, Germany.
Brain Lang. 2013 Dec;127(3):366-76. doi: 10.1016/j.bandl.2012.11.006. Epub 2012 Dec 27.
Individual differences in second language (L2) aptitude have been assumed to depend upon a variety of cognitive and personality factors. Especially, the cognitive factor phonological working memory has been conceptualised as language learning device. However, strong associations between phonological working memory and L2 aptitude have been previously found in early-stage learners only, not in advanced learners. The current study aimed at investigating the behavioural and neurobiological predictors of advanced L2 learning. Our behavioural results showed that phonetic coding ability and empathy, but not phonological working memory, predict L2 pronunciation aptitude in advanced learners. Second, functional neuroimaging revealed this behavioural trait to be correlated with hemodynamic responses of the cerebral network of speech motor control and auditory-perceptual areas. We suggest that the acquisition of L2 pronunciation aptitude is a dynamic process, requiring a variety of neural resources at different processing stages over time.
个体在第二语言（L2）能力方面的差异被认为取决于各种认知和个性因素。特别是，认知因素语音工作记忆被概念化为语言学习的工具。然而，之前仅在初级学习者中发现语音工作记忆与 L2 能力之间存在强烈关联，而在高级学习者中则没有。本研究旨在调查高级 L2 学习的行为和神经生物学预测指标。我们的行为结果表明，语音编码能力和同理心，而不是语音工作记忆，可预测高级学习者的 L2 发音能力。其次，功能神经影像学显示，这种行为特征与言语运动控制和听觉感知区域的大脑网络的血液动力学反应相关。我们认为，L2 发音能力的习得是一个动态的过程，需要随着时间的推移在不同的处理阶段使用各种神经资源。
