Syllabus
Topics: 1. Neuron, neural system, action potential, brain and its parts. 2.
Methods: PET, fMRI, EEG/ERP, MEG, NIRS, pupillometry. Brain areas related to language. 3.
Aphasias: basic classification, classic models. 4. Aphasia: modern research fidnings. 6.
Electrophysiology research: N400, P600, ELAN, use of MMN. 7. Neuroimaging research on word perception/production, semantics, conceptual representations 8.
Neuroimaging research on syntactic and sentence-level sematnic representations. 9. Current models of langauge representation. 10.
Developmental language disorders. Heritability of language. 11.
Human genetics: basic concepts. Heritability, research methods in behavioral/cognitive genetics. 12.
Nature and nurture in language: conceptual and methodological considerations: 13. Genetics and the study of languages across the world, diachronic research.
Annotation
This is an introduction to the biological underpinnings of human language. It is meant especially for linguists and social scientists who have limited bacground in biology and neuroscience.
The course will emphasize the value of biological and neuroscience research for addressing various questions traditionally asked in linguistics.