Research in the domain of language learning during development has allowed us to specify the neurophysiological markers reflecting phonological, lexical and syntactic processes early in life, and to describe their course of maturation (see Friederici, 2005 & 2006). Our studies suggest that, once developed, these processes and their neural underpinnings are qualitatively similar to those of the adult system, but are quantitatively different. Thus, their time course is slowed, and their localization is less segregated. Current research focuses on the relation between language development and brain maturation.

In the domain of adult language learning, we have investigated the neurophysiological characteristics of late learners of natural grammars in recent years. Currently, we are focusing on the learning of artificial grammars in which we can systematically vary the absence or presence of semantic and prosodic information in order to determine the impact of these parameters on language learning.

Publications

Friederici, A.D. (2005). Neurophysiological markers of early language acquisition: From syllables to sentences. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 9, 481-488. Fulltext