EEG Evidence for Phonological Velar Softening
This study investigates the phonological phenomenon of velar softening using EEG data, supporting the truly phonological nature of the process. Six EEG experiments were conducted with 23 participants, focusing on inflectional plural formation and velar softening in English. The results suggest a phonological basis for velar softening through neural processing mechanisms.
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EEG-based evidence supporting the truly phonological character of velar softening Mirjam J.I. de Jonge | Alex Chabot | Tobias Scheer 17th Old World Conference in Phonology Warsaw, 5 February 2020
Point of departure: Sahin et al. 2009
Point of departure: Sahin et al. 2009
Point of departure: Sahin et al. 2009
Point of departure: Sahin et al. 2009
Point of departure: Sahin et al. 2009
From Mind to Brain 6 EEG experiments 64 channel, passive electrodes 2 MRI scans T1 anatomical scan For source modelling Single-shell HARDI diffusion scan For tractography Inflection Plurals: assimilation/epenthesis Plurals: frequency Plurals: length 23 participants 20 full, usable datasets Native monolingual SSBE Right-handed Derivation Velar softening Trisyllabic laxing Nasal cluster simplification
Procedure: EEG sessions Main trial structure from Sahin et al. (2009) With 2AFC confirmation trials Pick the word you just said in your head: XXX / YYY After all trials in training phase (with full feedback) After 100-101/720 trials in experiments (with limited feedback)
Experiment: Pluralisation 80 words, frequency-matched, varying final consonant 20 sibilant / 20 sonorant / 20 voiced obstruent / 20 voiceless obstruent 3 conditions, 3 repetitions cue Repeat: This is a word school / job / cliff / bus school / job / cliff / bus target school / job / cliff / bus school / job / cliff / bus Read Null Overt Those are the school / job / cliff / bus schools / jobs / cliffs / buses
Experiment: Velar Softening Noun / verb derivation with using ity / ise 43 real words / 37 nonwords 3 conditions, 3 repetitions cue Repeat: word electric / nectic critic / glyphic target electric / nectic critic / glyphic Read Null This is really electric / nectic critic / glyphic electric / nectic electric / nectic critic / glyphic electricity / necticity Overt They talk about You need to critic / glyphic criticise / glyphicise
Results: Pluralisation Cue type
Results: Pluralisation Consonant type
Results: Velar Softening Cue type (n.s.) 320 ms
Results: Velar Softening Cue type (n.s.) 450 ms
Results: Velar Softening Cue x Word 450 ms
Overview Does Sahin s paradigm work in surface EEG on healthy participants? In principle, yes In very compliant participants (>95% correct) Pluralisation Compliant participants: Overt effects at 320 ms and 450 ms Overall difference between consonants regardless of cue Velar softening Compliant participants: only difference found at 450 ms Nonword response larger than Real word response in Overt cue
Consequences Response at 320 ms Neural signature of morphological concatenation How selective? How sensitive? Response at 450 ms Neural signature of phonological processing / phonetic implementation How selective? How sensitive? Word / Nonword difference at 450 ms Relies on selectivity & sensitivity of 450 ms response
Thank you. Questions? mdejonge@unice.fr Mirjam J.I. de Jonge | Alex Chabot | Tobias Scheer 17th Old World Conference in Phonology Warsaw, 5 February 2020
EEG details Acquisition Neuroscan SynAmp2 Curry 8.0.4.10 64 passive Ag/AgCl electrodes 1000 Hz SR AFz reference, FFCz ground Line noise on F1-z-2, FC1-z-2 Impedance <5 k But not all electrodes for everyone Bipolar VEOG + HEOG Processing (EEGLab) Bad channel rejection Resample to 500 Hz 0.1-45 Hz FIR filter PICARD ICA on 1-30 Hz data ADJUST for component rejection Channel interpolation Average reference
Analysis details Epochs Time-locked to word onset -250 ms to 1500 ms Models Within-participant factors Cue type Read, Null, Overt Pluralisation: Consonant type Fortis, Lenis, Sibilant, Sonorant Velar softening: Word type Real word, Nonword Measures Factorial Mass Univariate Toolbox Cluster-based permutation Cluster mass criterion Between-participant factors Score High, Rest
Behavioural scores: Pluralisation Training: 95.6 (71-100) % correct Experiment: 92.7 (75-100) % correct Pluralisation - Training Pluralisation - Experiment 120 120 100 100 80 80 60 60 40 40 20 20 0 0
Behavioural scores: Velar Softening Training: 92.5 (70-100) % correct Experiment: 92.7 (78-100) % correct Velar Softening - Training Velar Softening - Experiment 120 120 100 100 80 80 60 60 40 40 20 20 0 0
Stimuli: Pluralisation job chief stage school club brief page call pub belief edge deal cab proof judge hall lab cliff size wall good stock prize room need check gaze team head rock breeze claim road pick place dream god track face sum dog group voice run bag top price town leg cup wish plan drug step fish son egg ship finish sun love right bush thing leave great touch king move set speech ring drive night beach spring save street coach song
Stimuli: Velar Softening electric critic throtic panthic public public lollic frothic specific politic cantic arbotic authentic romantic buntic tamolic elastic anglic phatic wurtic ethnic italic bistronic montic toxic erotic listatic drufic eccentric historic brionic nebombic domestic ethic shamonic opilic opaque phonemic plathic trufitic historic polemic molonic glyfic periodic gothic caligic velodic scientific lectodic ponderic synchronic prognotic shalitic hydrophobic nectic fallindic catholic ambolic bandonic rhythmic inclothic linkitic chronic artinthic bosotic egocentric jamintic rustic volcanic systematic seismic automatic cyclic atomic metallic aromatic episodic semantic unique
