Elucidation of working principles within neural networks controlling syntactic processing of endocentric and non-endocentric structures in human language

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25580095
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Linguistics
• Research Institution: Nihon University (2014-2015); Waseda University (2013)
• Principal Investigator: NARITA Hiroki 日本大学, 生産工学部, 助教 (60609767)
• Research Collaborator: SAKAI Kuniyoshi L. 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科相関基礎科学系, 教授 (10251216)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 統辞法・統語論 / 句構造の内心性 / 句構造の対称性 / 併合 / 素性均衡 / 素性一致 / 移動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research project, we put forward the hypothesis that the traditional notion of “projection” should be entirely eliminated from the theory of human language syntax. We propose an alternative, projection-free characterization of endocentricity (headedness), according to which endocentric phrase structures are in fact asymmetric structures that are in need of symmetrization via movement (internal Merge). The proposal points to the overarching hypothesis that linguistic computation is fundamentally driven for structural symmetry (closely tied with non-endocentricity). The achievements of this project are published in several volumes and a journal paper, and to be elaborated in the forthcoming book (under contract) entitled Symmetry-driven Syntax. Further, a new neuroimaging experiment was designed and conducted, which attempts to measure the cortical activities concerning nested dependencies and cross-serial dependencies in language processing.

Free Research Field

統辞法・統語論