Mechanisms of Word Retrieval in Spoken Language Production

关于构成语言处理的认知和神经过程的基本问题仍然没有得到回答。语言处理的所有认知和神经理论都必须回答的一个问题是，说话者如何能够在口语产生过程中从她知道的数万个单词中快速有效地提取给定的单词。拟议的研究活动的目标是测试关于i)系统如何决定应该发出哪个单词，以及ii)系统如何确定何时应该选择该单词用于演讲的假设。这项研究活动包括一系列实验，其中反应潜伏期被用来检验关于语言产生所涉及的认知过程的假设。美国罗切斯特大学的英语母语者和意大利帕多瓦大学的意大利语母语者进行了实验。此外，帕多瓦大学将对公开语言产生的基础过程进行脑电研究，罗切斯特大学将进行平行的功能磁共振成像(FMRI)研究。这两项神经研究将回答有关在公开言语产生中提取单词的过程的时间和解剖组织的基本问题。本研究活动的目的的实现将解决支持单词提取口语产生的认知和神经过程的基本性质。这将对脑损伤患者语言能力的康复、促进第二语言习得的协议的改进产生影响，并将对语言处理的计算模型施加重要限制。此外，本科生和研究生将有机会参加国际交流计划，以扩大他们的研究技能和兴趣。

Basic questions remain unanswered about the cognitive and neural processes that underlie language processing. One issue that all cognitive and neural theories of language processing must answer is how a speaker is able to quickly and efficiently retrieve a given word during spoken language production, from the tens of thousands of words that she knows. The goal of the proposed research activity is to test hypotheses about i) how the system resolves which word should be uttered, and ii) how the system determines when that word should be selected for speech. The proposed research activity involves a series of experiments in which response latency is used to test hypotheses about the cognitive processes involved in language production. Experiments are conducted with native English speakers at the University of Rochester (USA) as well as with native Italian Speakers at the University of Padova (Italy). In addition, an Electroencephalography (EEG) study of the processes underlying overt language production will be conducted at the University of Padova and a parallel functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) study will be conducted at the University of Rochester. These two neural studies will answer basic questions about the temporal and anatomical organization of the processes involved in retrieving words in overt speech production.Fulfillment of the aims of this research activity will address the fundamental nature of the cognitive and neural processes that support word retrieval spoken language production. This will have implications for rehabilitation of language abilities in brain damaged patients, improvement of protocols for facilitating the acquisition of second languages, and will place important constraints on computational models of language processing. Furthermore, undergraduate and graduate students will have the opportunity to participate in an international exchange program to expand their research skills and interests.