Language, mind and brain : some psychological and neurological constraints on theories of grammar / Ewa Dabrowska.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Dąbrowska, Ewa, 1963- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Psycholinguistics.

Neurolinguistics.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (273 pages)

Place of Publication:

Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press, [2004]

Summary:

GBS_insertPreviewButtonPopup('ISBN:9780748614752);Human languages reside in human brains, and it is undeniable that properties of the mind/brain place strong constraints on linguistic structure. Yet most linguists know little about the psychology of language and even less about its neural substrate. Language, Mind and Brain explores these constraints and shows how linguistics could benefit by incorporating insights from research on language acquisition, language processing, neurolinguistics and other disciplines concerned with human linguistic abilities. The first part of the book offers a useful introduction to the relevant issues for readers with little prior knowledge of these disciplines. In the second part, the cognitive underpinnings of language are discussed in more detail in three case studies chosen to illuminate complementary aspects of linguistic structure (the semantics of locative terms, morphological rules, the syntax of English questions). The final chapter is devoted to approaches to language which meet the requirements outlined earlier, with particular prominence given to cognitive and construction grammar.FeaturesA unique contribution to the debate on the relationship between language and other cognitive processesAccessible text which introduces readers to a psychologically realistic theory of languageIncludes a definitive introduction and case studies to illustrate key topics."

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

List of figures

List of tables

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1 Introduction

Part I The Basic Specifications

Chapter 2 Language processing: speed and flexibility

Chapter 3 Language acquisition: robustness

Chapter 4 Language in the brain

Chapter 5 Language and other cognitive processes

Chapter 6 Biological underpinnings

Part II The Building Blocks of Language

Chapter 7 Words

Chapter 8 On rules and regularity

Chapter 9 Syntactic constructions

Chapter 10 The cognitive enterprise

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

1-4744-6601-X