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15 - Computational primitives in morphology and possible brain correlates

from Part II - Mind, brain, behavior

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 May 2013

By
Ina Bornkessel-Schlesewsky  and
Matthias Schlesewsky
Edited by
Cedric Boeckx  and
Kleanthes K. Grohmann
Cedric Boeckx
Affiliation:
The Catalan Institute for Advanced Studies
Kleanthes K. Grohmann
Affiliation:
University of Cyprus
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Summary

This chapter offers a satisfactory account of morphological processing within the overall language system from a neurobiological perspective. It discusses the computational primitives in morphology and their possible brain correlates. The chapter reviews research on the two morphological distinctions that have attracted the most attention in the literature on the neural bases of morphological processing: regular versus irregular morphology and inflection versus derivation. It argues that neither of these two oppositions appears suited to explaining how morphology is organized in the brain. The chapter offers some more positive suggestions regarding the neural representation and processing of morphology. It also argues for the primarily relational role of morphology, which serves to distinguish it from the combinatory nature of syntax, and for the importance of distinguishing between purely formal and interpretively relevant relations in this regard.

Keywords

English-learning infantsfunction wordslanguage-universal cueword formword meaningsyntactic structuresphrasal prosody
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Biolinguistics , pp. 283 - 308
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2013

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