The Phonological Mind - Softcover

Berent, Iris

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521149703 ISBN 13: 9780521149709

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2013

Synopsis

Humans instinctively form words by weaving patterns of meaningless speech elements. Moreover, we do so in specific, regular ways. We contrast dogs and gods, favour blogs to lbogs. We begin forming sound-patterns at birth and, like songbirds, we do so spontaneously, even in the absence of an adult model. We even impose these phonological patterns on invented cultural technologies such as reading and writing. But why are humans compelled to generate phonological patterns? And why do different phonological systems - signed and spoken - share aspects of their design? Drawing on findings from a broad range of disciplines including linguistics, experimental psychology, neuroscience and comparative animal studies, Iris Berent explores these questions and proposes a new hypothesis about the architecture of the phonological mind.

About this title

Book Description

Humans weave phonological patterns instinctively. We contrast dogs and gods, favour blogs to lbogs; we form patterns at birth and, like songbirds, we do so spontaneously. This book explores the basis of this human capacity through a rich interdisciplinary perspective, ranging from linguistics and neuroscience to cognitive science and genetics.

About the Author

Iris Berent is a Professor of Psychology at Northeastern University, Boston. Her research concerns phonology, morphology and reading. She has published extensively in psychological and linguistic journals.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0521149703
• ISBN 13: 9780521149709
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 374