This thesis aims at providing insights in the neural mechanisms and brain structures underlying individual differences in second language acquisition. It reports on a series of experiments... Show moreThis thesis aims at providing insights in the neural mechanisms and brain structures underlying individual differences in second language acquisition. It reports on a series of experiments investigating neural correlates of novel grammar learning and of the analytical component of language aptitude, using a variety of neuroimaging methods: functional magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging and electroencephalography. This thesis aims at providing insights in the neural mechanisms and brain structures underlying individual differences in second language acquisition. It reports on a series of experiments investigating neural correlates of novel grammar learning and of the analytical component of language aptitude, using a variety of neuroimaging methods: functional magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging and electroencephalography. Show less
Spoken communication involves transmission of a message which takes physical form in acoustic waves. Within any given language, acoustic cues pattern in language-specific ways along language... Show moreSpoken communication involves transmission of a message which takes physical form in acoustic waves. Within any given language, acoustic cues pattern in language-specific ways along language-specific acoustic dimensions to create speech sound contrasts. These cues are utilized by listeners to discriminate between possible messages intended by the speaker. It is well documented that individual listeners attend to different acoustic cues in different ways. For example, adult second-language (L2) learners often have trouble distinguishing certain L2 speech contrasts. Yet, the question of how listeners come to utilise certain cues and not others for discrimination is not yet well understood. The relationship between this continuous and inherently noisy acoustic signal and the discrete nature of the underlying messages forms the basis for this thesis. I used electrophysiological (EEG) and behavioural measures to investigate how allophonic tonal variants and sub-phonemic features are processed during Mandarin and Dutch speech production, visual processing of written words and reading aloud. In addition, using the visual world eyetracking paradigm, I investigated how the degree of variation (statistical noise) in the acoustic signal affects perception of Cantonese segment and tone contrasts. Show less
