Electrophysiology of language comprehension in healthy Russian speakers

The method of event-related potentials (ERPs) based on electroencephalogram (EEG) recording has a high temporal resolution and allows for analyzing processes that underlie language comprehension.

This method was applied in a project of the Center aimed at investigation electrophysiological markers of semantic, syntactic and discourse comprehension. Materials of these experiments include sentences with anomalies of different types and their processing is compared to control (correct) sentences. For example, materials of our experiment on semantic processing consist of semantically correct sentences and sentences with semantic anomalies:

(1)      Гонщик преодолел вираж/*совок без задержки.

          The racer passed the curve/*scoop very fast.

In order to investigate mechanisms underlying language comprehension at the discourse level, we explore neurophysiological effects of a mismatch between the target word and the functional style of the preceding context:

(2)      За веселой игрой в преферанс клерки/*пацаны сочиняли небылицы        о госслужащих.

          During the joyful preference game the office workers/*dudes were composing fables about the employees.

In addition, we analyze ERPs that characterize syntactic (3) and morphosyntactic (4a) aspects of language processing:

(3)      Крестьяне ведут заготовку/*заготовить грибов на зиму.

          The peasants  stock up on purchases/* to purchase of mushrooms for winter.

(4а)    Оператор снял грозу/*грозой на камеру.

          The cameraman took a picture of the thundrestorm-ACC/*INSTR.

In each experiment, a symmetrical (balanced) design was applied. It means that all target words and contexts are used in both experimental conditions – in correct sentences and in sentences with anomalies (compare (4a) and (4b)). This allows us to avoid the effect of context and characteristics of the target word (for example, frequency) on the ERP amplitude:

(4b)    Скалолаз воспользовался грозой/*грозу для отдыха.

          The rock climber made use of the thundrestorm-INSTR/*ACC to take a rest.

Preliminary results show that processing semantic anomalies and words that mismatch the functional style of the preceding context elicits an increase in the N400 amplitude (a standard marker of semantic processing). In contrast, processing syntactic and morphosyntactic anomalies is accompanied by a P600 effect, which is a marker of language processing at the level of syntax.

The goal of another project based on implementation of the ERP method is to investigate mechanisms underlying comprehension of polysemous and homonymous words. In this experiment, we compare processing ambiguous words with related (metonymy and metaphor) and unrelated (homonymy) meanings. We used priming paradigm: a two-word phrase that includes a polysemous word with a literal sense was preceded by a phrase that includes this word with the same (literal) or different (metonymic or metaphoric) sense (see (5a)-(5c)); similarly, a phrase with a homonym was preceded by a phrase with the consistent or inconsistent meaning ((6a)-(6b)):

(5a)    цветущая груша – мягкая груша (metonymy – literal sense)

          blooming pear  – soft pear

(5b)    боксерская груша – мягкая груша (metaphor – literal sense)

          boxing pear – soft pear

(5c)    спелая груша – мягкая груша (literal sense – literal sense)

          ripe pear  – soft pear

(6a)    меховая опушка – лесная опушка (inconsistent meaning)

          fur trimming– forest edge

(6b)    заснеженная опушка – лесная опушка (consistent meaning)

          snow-covered edge– forest edge

Preliminary results show that processes underlying switching between meanings are different for polysemous and homonymous words. In addition, differences were observed for senses of polysemous words that are derived from literal senses by metonymy or by metaphor.


Publications

Yurchenko A., Lopukhina A., Dragoy O. Meaning relatedness in polysemous and homonymous words: an ERP study in Russian // NRU HSE. Series WP BRP "Linguistics". – 2018. – Vol. 67.

Presentations

Yurchenko A., Bergelson M., Dragoy O. Effect of functional style incongruency on language comprehension: an ERP study in Russian // Poster presented at the Tenth Annual Meeting of the Society for the Neurobiology of Language, 2018, August 16-18, Québec City, Canada.

Zmanovsky N., Yurchenko A., Shitova N., Dragoy O. Semantic and syntactic processing in Russian sentences: an ERP study with balanced design // Poster presented at the workshop "Neurobiology of Speech and Language", 2017, October 27-29, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Zmanovsky N., Yurchenko A., Shitova N., Dragoy O. Semantic and syntactic processing in Russian sentences: an ERP study with balanced design // Poster presented at the workshop "Neurobiology of Speech and Language", 2017, October 27-29, Saint Petersburg, Russia.