Kirsch Simon, Elser Carolin, Barbieri Elena, Kümmerer Dorothee, Weiller Cornelius, Musso Mariacristina
Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Breisacherstrasse 64, 79106 Freiburg, Germany.
Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hauptstraße 8, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
Brain Sci. 2022 May 9;12(5):616. doi: 10.3390/brainsci12050616.
Previous work has provided contrasting evidence on syntax acquisition. Syntax-internal factors, i.e., instinctive knowledge of the universals of grammar (UG) for finite-state grammar (FSG) and phrase-structure grammar (PSG) but also syntax-external factors such as language competence, working memory (WM) and demographic factors may affect syntax acquisition. This study employed an artificial grammar paradigm to identify which factors predicted syntax acquisition. Thirty-seven healthy individuals and forty-nine left-hemispheric stroke patients (fourteen with aphasia) read syllable sequences adhering to or violating FSG and PSG. They performed preference classifications followed by grammatical classifications (after training). Results showed the best classification accuracy for sequences adhering to UG, with performance predicted by syntactic competence and spatial WM. Classification of ungrammatical sequences improved after training and was predicted by verbal WM. Although accuracy on FSG was better than on PSG, generalization was fully possible only for PSG. Education was the best predictor of syntax acquisition, while aphasia and lesion volume were not predictors. This study shows a clear preference for UG, which is influenced by spatial and linguistic knowledge, but not by the presence of aphasia. Verbal WM supported the identification of rule violations. Moreover, the acquisition of FSG and PSG was related to partially different mechanisms, but both depended on education.
先前的研究就句法习得提供了相互矛盾的证据。句法内部因素，即对有限状态语法（FSG）和短语结构语法（PSG）的普遍语法（UG）的本能知识，以及语言能力、工作记忆（WM）和人口统计学因素等句法外部因素，都可能影响句法习得。本研究采用人工语法范式来确定哪些因素能够预测句法习得。37名健康个体和49名左半球中风患者（14名患有失语症）阅读符合或违反FSG和PSG的音节序列。他们先进行偏好分类，之后（经过训练）进行语法分类。结果显示，对于符合UG的序列，分类准确率最高，句法能力和空间WM能够预测其表现。经过训练后，不符合语法规则序列的分类有所改善，言语WM能够预测这一结果。虽然FSG的准确率高于PSG，但只有PSG能够完全实现泛化。教育是句法习得的最佳预测指标，而失语症和病变体积则不是预测指标。本研究表明，明显偏好UG，这受到空间和语言知识的影响，但不受失语症的影响。言语WM有助于识别违反规则的情况。此外，FSG和PSG的习得与部分不同的机制有关，但两者都依赖于教育。
