Processing Language Through the Body: The Necessity of Embodiment Processes

传统上，特别是语法和语义似乎被认为是独立的实体，而不是认知。一个挑战这些观点的假说是具身认知方法，它声称一个人的认知受到人体不同特征的影响。这种方法已被应用于不同的语言问题。运动理论特别强调运动系统在言语感知中的重要性，认为语言声音是通过储存在大脑中的发音模式来识别的。另一方面，具身语义方法假设大脑中的语义表征与感知和运动系统相关联，当感知单词时唤起感知体验。虽然有证据表明这些过程可能与语言理解有关，但我的博士论文的目的是证明这些过程是否确实是强制性的还是支持性的。不言而喻，这个问题必须根据不同的语言领域分别回答。我的论文将主要集中在具身语义。重要的是，理解过程将扮演与生产过程类似的角色，而迄今为止的研究主要集中在语言理解上。目前，我正在进行一个小型实验，研究语音生成中的体现语义，这是一篇4000字的论文，是哲学硕士课程的一部分。为了确定体现是否是人类语言的必要条件，除了对幼儿语言的分析外，行为方法和心理生理学方法的结果可能会有深刻的见解。此外，运动皮层受损的病人以及行动不便的人的生产和理解过程可能决定了这些功能对人类语言知识和使用的重要性。体现过程的研究不仅在语言学领域内发挥着重要作用。当然，它涉及到最关键和讨论的问题之一，即语言处理是否是一个自主过程，这决定了几种语言模型和理论的性质。另一方面，它也与一个哲学问题有关。如果有可能证明体现过程是人类语言作为一种认知过程的必要条件，这将是克服传统的个人-世界二元论在生物-环境相互性和互惠性方面的一步。此外，更好地了解体现过程可能有助于改善不同语言障碍的治疗。例如，它已经描述了如何参与描述物体的使用，以改善触觉和视觉失语症患者在命名任务中的表现。类似的支持效应可能也适用于其他语言障碍。

Traditionally, particularly syntax and semantics seem to be thought of as independent entities inhuman cognition. One hypothesis that challenges these views is the Embodied CognitionApproach, claiming that a person's cognition is influenced by different features of the human body.This approach has been applied to different linguistic problems. The Motor Theory emphasises aparticular importance of the motor system in speech perception, suggesting that linguistic soundsare identified through articulatory patterns that are stored in the brain. On the other hand, theEmbodied Semantics Approach assumes that semantic representations in the brain are linked toperceptual and motor systems, evoking perceptual experiences when words are perceived. Whilethere is some evidence that such processes might be involved in language comprehension, theaim of my doctoral thesis would be to prove whether these processes are indeed compulsory orrather supportive. Self-evidently, this question has to be answered separately for different linguisticareas. My thesis would mainly focus on embodied semantics. Importantly, comprehensionprocesses would play a similar role as production processes, while research has mainly focussedon language comprehension so far. I am presently conducting a small experiment on embodiedsemantics in speech production in terms of a 4000 word essay being part of the MPhil programme.To determine whether embodiment is a necessary condition of human language, results of bothbehavioural methods and psychophysiological methods besides the analysis of early childlanguage might be insightful. Moreover, production as well as comprehension processes inpatients with damages to the motor cortex as well as persons with limited mobility might determinethe importance of those functions for human language knowledge and use.The investigation of embodiment processes plays a significant role not only within the field oflinguistics itself. Of course, it relates to one of its most crucial and discussed problems, namelywhether language processing is an autonomous process, determining the nature of severallinguistic models and theories. On the other hand, it is also associated with a philosophicalproblem. If it is possible to show that embodiment processes are a necessary condition of humanlanguage as a cognitive process, this would be one step to overcome traditional person-worlddualism in terms of an organism-environment mutuality and reciprocity. Moreover, a betterunderstanding of embodiment processes might be helpful to improve the therapy of differentlanguage disorders. For instance, it has already been described how the involvement ofdescriptions of the use of objects improves the performance in naming tasks by patients with tactileand optic aphasia. Similar supporting effects might be conceivable for other language disorders aswell.