Second language acquisition research incorporating generative grammar and the role of social interaction

• Project/Area Number: 20020022
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Priority Areas
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Review Section: Biological Sciences
• Research Institution: Miyagi Gakuin Women's University
• Principal Investigator: YUSA Noriaki Miyagi Gakuin Women's University, 学芸学部, 教授 (40182670)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KOIZUMI Masatoshi 東北大学, 文学研究科, 准教授 (10275597) ; KIM Jungho 東北大学, 文学研究科, 助教 (70513852)
• Project Period (FY): 2008 – 2009
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2009)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,400,000); Fiscal Year 2009: ¥1,700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000); Fiscal Year 2008: ¥1,700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000)
• Keywords: 生成文法 / 個人差 / 下前頭回 / 普遍文法 / fMRI / 日本手話 / 社会性 / 構造依存性 / 脳機能イメージング / 教授効果 / 階層構造

Research Abstract

This study provides the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data to show that (1) two distinct regions of the left frontal gyrus explain individual differences in second language proficiency ; (2) post-puberty second language (L2) learners can acquire abstract and complex properties of an L2 that could not be deduced from the L2 input, suggesting the availability of an innate mechanism in SLA ; (3) availability of a language model by itself is not sufficient, as availability of communicative interaction is also necessary for the second language acquisition accompanied by changes in the brain to occur.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Distinct Roles of Left Inferior Frontal Regions that Explain Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition (2009)
  • Author(s): Sakai, L.K., Nauchi, A., Tatsuno, Y., Hirano, K., Muraishi, Y, Kimura, M., Bostwick, M., Yusa, N.
  • Journal Title: Human Brain Mapping vol.30 Pages: 2440-2452
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Left Middle Temporal Deactivation Caused by Insufficient Second Language Word Comprehension by Chinese-Japanese Bilinguals (2009)
  • Author(s): Yokoyama, S., Kim, J., Uchida, S. Miyamoto, T., Yoshimoto, K., Jorge, R., Yusa, N,, Kawashima, R.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Neurolinguistics vol.22 Pages: 476-485
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Scrambling Effects on the Processing of Japanese Sentences: An fMRI study (2009)
  • Author(s): Kim, J., Koizumi, M., Ikuta, N., Fukumitsu, Y., Kimura, N., Iwata, K., Watanabe, J., Yokoyama, S., Sato, S., Horie, K., Kawashima, R.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Neurolinguistics vol.22 Pages: 151-166
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] The Sloppy-Identity Interpretation in Child Japanese: Its Acquisition and Implications (2009)
  • Author(s): Otaki, K, Yusa, N.
  • Journal Title: The Proceedings of the Tenth Tokyo Conference on Psycholinguistics Pages: 193-214
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Neurophysiological Effects of Early L2 Exposure on the Development of L1 (2009)
  • Author(s): Koizumi, M.
  • Journal Title: Proceedings of the 2009 Summer Special Conference of the New Korean Association of English Language and Literature: The Brain and Language Pages: 33-43
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Distinct Roles of Left Inferior Frontal Regions that Explain Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition (2009)
  • Author(s): Sakai,K.L., Nauchi,A., Tatsuno,Y., Hirano,K., Muraishi,Y., Kimura,M., Bostwick,M., Yusa,N
  • Journal Title: Human Brain Mapping 30 Pages: 2440-2452
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Left middle temporal deactivation caused by insufficient second language word comprehension by Chinese-Japanese bilinguals (2009)
  • Author(s): Yokoyama S, Kim J, Yusa N, et al.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Neurolinguistics 22 Pages: 476-485
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Neurophysiological Effects of Early L2 Exposure on the Development of L1 (2009)
  • Author(s): Koizumi, M.
  • Journal Title: Proceedings of the 2009 Summer Special Conference on the New Korean Association of English Language and Literature : The Brain and Language 1 Pages: 33-43
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Scrambling Effects on the Processing of Japanese Sentences : An fMRI Study (2009)
  • Author(s): Kim J, Koizumi M, et al.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Neurolinguistics 22 Pages: 151-166
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Scrambling effects on the processing of Japanese sentences : An fMRI study (2009)
  • Author(s): Kim, Jungho
  • Journal Title: Journal of Neurolinguistics 22 Pages: 151-166
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Toward a cognitive neuroscience of language (2008)
  • Author(s): Koizumi, Masatoshi
  • Journal Title: Journal of Language Sciences 15 Pages: 239-266
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Children's Word- Order Preferences in Japanese Ditransitive Constructions (2008)
  • Author(s): Tamura, Shin- Ichi, et.al.
  • Journal Title: The Technical Report on Language and Thought of the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers 108 Pages: 73-78
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Effects of Early Non- native Language Exposure : Metalinguistic Awareness in Young Children (2008)
  • Author(s): Katsura Natsuko, et.al.
  • Journal Title: The Technical Report on Language and Thought of the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers 108 Pages: 79-81
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] 第二言語と脳科学 (2009)
  • Author(s): 遊佐典昭
  • Organizer: 同志社大学大学院文学研究科英文学・英語学専攻コロキアム
  • Place of Presentation: 同志社大学
  • Year and Date: 2009-11-21
• [Presentation] Experimental Syntax : What we can expect? (2009)
  • Author(s): Masatoshi Koizumi
  • Organizer: 第27回日本英語学会
  • Place of Presentation: 大阪大学
  • Year and Date: 2009-11-15
• [Presentation] 言語を生み出す脳:脳科学から見た第二言語獲得研究(招待講演) (2009)
  • Author(s): 遊佐典昭
  • Organizer: 第17回言語人文学会、公開シンポジウム「言語と脳と思考」
  • Place of Presentation: 岩手大学
  • Year and Date: 2009-09-28
• [Presentation] Neurophysiological Effects of Early L2 Exposure on the Development of L1 (2009)
  • Author(s): Koizumi M
  • Organizer: The 2009 Summer Special Conference of the New Korean Association of English Language and Literature : Brain and Language : The Brain and Language
  • Place of Presentation: Busan, Korea
  • Year and Date: 2009-08-17
• [Presentation] 第二言語を生み出す脳(招待講演 (2009)
  • Author(s): 遊佐典昭
  • Organizer: 公開シンポジウム統語構造と文脈-言語認知脳科学の可能性-
  • Place of Presentation: 東北大学
  • Year and Date: 2009-06-13
• [Presentation] 第二言語を生み出す脳 (2009)
  • Author(s): 遊佐典昭
  • Organizer: 公開シンポジウム統語構造と文脈-言語認知脳科学の可能性-
  • Place of Presentation: 東北大学
  • Year and Date: 2009-06-13
• [Presentation] Changes in VOT values in classroom-based instruction (2009)
  • Author(s): Yusa, Noriaki, et.al.
  • Organizer: Georgetown University Round Table 2009
  • Place of Presentation: Washington DC, USA
  • Year and Date: 2009-03-14
• [Presentation] The Sloppy Identity Interpretation in Child Japanese : Its Acquisition and Implications (2009)
  • Author(s): Otaki, Koichi and Noriaki Yusa
  • Organizer: Tokyo Conference on Psycholinguistics 2009
  • Place of Presentation: 三田、東京
  • Year and Date: 2009-03-13
• [Presentation] Experimental Syntax:What we can expect (2009)
  • Author(s): Masatoshi. K.
  • Organizer: 第27回日本英語学会
  • Place of Presentation: 大阪大学
• [Presentation] Effects of L2 English Input on Japanese VOT production in Children (2008)
  • Author(s): Yusa, Noriaki, et.al.
  • Organizer: Conference on Bilingual Acquisition in Early Childhood
  • Place of Presentation: 香港
  • Year and Date: 2008-12-12
• [Presentation] 言語を生み出す脳 : 脳科学から見た第二言語獲得研究 (2008)
  • Author(s): 遊佐典昭
  • Organizer: 第17回言語人文学会
  • Place of Presentation: 岩手大学
  • Year and Date: 2008-09-28
• [Presentation] A Neurological Index of Instructed SLA: Evidence from fMRI (2008)
  • Author(s): CD Yusa, N., Koizumi, M., Kim, J., Sakai, Y., Kimura, N., Horie, K., Sato, S., Kawashima, R., Hagiwara, H.
  • Organizer: The European Second Language Association 2008
  • Place of Presentation: Aix-en-Provence, France
  • Year and Date: 2008-09-04
• [Presentation] Neurological Index of Instructed SLA : Evidence from fMRI (2008)
  • Author(s): Yusa, Noriaki, et.al.
  • Organizer: The European Second Language Association 2008
  • Place of Presentation: Aix-en-Provence, France
  • Year and Date: 2008-09-04
• [Presentation] Children's Word-Order Preferences in Japanese Ditransitive Constructions (2008)
  • Author(s): Tamura, Shin_Ichi, et.al.
  • Organizer: 言語情報通信学会思考と言語研究会
  • Place of Presentation: 栗駒、宮城
  • Year and Date: 2008-08-08
• [Presentation] Effects of Early Non-Native Language Exposure : Metalinguistic Awareness in Young Japanese Children (2008)
  • Author(s): Katsura, Natsuko, et.al.
  • Organizer: 言語情報通信学会思考と言語研究会
  • Place of Presentation: 栗駒、宮城
  • Year and Date: 2008-08-08
• [Presentation] 日本語かき混ぜ文の文処理 (2008)
  • Author(s): 金情浩
  • Organizer: 第7回日本語教育世界大会
  • Place of Presentation: 釜山外国語大学、韓国
  • Year and Date: 2008-07-11
• [Presentation] 日本語かき混ぜ文の文処理 (2008)
  • Author(s): 金情浩
  • Organizer: 第7回日本語教育世界大会
  • Place of Presentation: 釜山、韓国
  • Year and Date: 2008-07-11
• [Book] はじめて学ぶ言語学 (2009)
  • Author(s): 遊佐典昭
  • Publisher: ミネルヴァ出版
• [Book] 語彙の意味と文法 (2009)
  • Author(s): 小泉政利
  • Publisher: くろしお出版
• [Book] 「言語・脳・認知」科学と外国語習得 (2009)
  • Author(s): 金情浩
  • Publisher: ひつじ書房
• [Book] 言語研究の現在一形式と意味のインターフェイス (2008)
  • Author(s): 遊佐典昭
  • Publisher: 開拓社