Statistical Learning in Language Acquisition

描述（由申请人提供）：第一语言习得是人类正常发展的标志。大量的研究表明，跟踪语言输入的统计规律的能力有助于语言学习。本项目期间的研究清楚地表明，婴儿是强大的统计学习者。然而，这些能力与婴儿语言环境中出现的学习问题的相关性仍然知之甚少。本申请中提出的研究将检验有关婴儿统计语言学习的具体假设，重点关注婴儿如何使用统计信息。一个是确定在给定自然语言输入的情况下，婴儿可以使用哪些表面统计数据。具体目标二是确定真实语音中声音序列的统计如何影响单词学习。具体目的三是确定婴儿在线语言加工是否受到统计信息的影响。在这个竞争性延续应用中提出的研究结果将通过扩展我们对规范发展背后的学习机制的理解来促进积极的发展结果。统计学习能力较差的人可能有发育性语言障碍的风险。后续的研究将利用这些研究的结果来激励调查，包括有非典型语言发展风险的幼儿群体。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): First language acquisition is a hallmark of normative human development. A substantial body of research suggests that language learning is facilitated by the ability to track statistical regularities in linguistic input. Research during the current project period clearly demonstrates that infants are powerful statistical learners. However, the relevance of these abilities to the learning problems presented in infants' linguistic environments remains poorly understood. The research proposed in this application will test specific hypotheses concerning infant statistical language learning, focusing on how infants make use of statistical information. Specific Aim One is to determine which surface statistics infants can use given natural language input. Specific Aim Two is to determine how the statistics of sound sequences in real speech influence word learning. Specific Aim Three is to determine whether infants' on-line language processing is affected by statistical information. The results of the research proposed in this competing continuation application will promote positive developmental outcomes by expanding our understanding of the learning mechanisms underlying normative development. Individuals who are less facile at statistical learning may be at risk for developmental language disorders. Subsequent research will use the outcome of these studies to motivate investigations including populations of young children at risk for atypical language development. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: These studies, which are focused on typical language development, provide an opportunity to test targeted hypotheses concerning the mechanisms underlying positive language acquisition outcomes. The results will inform subsequent studies of children at risk for atypical language development, a major public health concern. We are currently working with a number of relevant populations who are potential targets of future studies based on the experiments proposed in this application, including children with Specific Language Impairment (with Dr. Julia Evans, San Diego State University), deaf toddlers who use cochlear implants (with Dr. Ruth Litovsky, UW-Madison and Dr. Tina Grieco-Calub, Northern Illinois University), toddlers who are late-talkers (with Dr. Susan Ellis-Weismer, UW-Madison), children living in poverty (with Drs. Jan Edwards and Julie Washington, UW-Madison), toddlers with Williams Syndrome (with Drs. Carolyn Mervis and Cara Cashon, U. of Lousiville), and children with Cerebral Palsy (with Dr. Katie Hustad, UW-Madison).