Friday, January 22, 2010

Language Structure Is Partly Determined by Social Structure, Says Penn Psychology Study

Psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Memphis have released a new study on linguistic evolution that challenges the prominent hypothesis for why languages differ throughout the world. The study argues that human languages may adapt more like biological organisms than previously thought and that the more common and popular the language, the simpler its construction to facilitate its survival.

Full article: University of Pennsylvania



Thursday, January 21, 2010

The Neural Advantage of Speaking 2 Languages

A new study published in Psychological Science reveals that knowledge of a second language—even one learned in adolescence—affects how people read in their native tongue.

Full article: Scientific American



Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Want to convince? Use abstract rather than concrete language

Filed under: Language in society

When consumers talk to each other about products, they generally respond more favorably to abstract language than concrete descriptions, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

Full article: EurekAlert



Sunday, January 17, 2010

Research Lays The Foundation For Improving Human Speech

Scientists at Duke University Medical Center have identified neurons in the songbird brain that convey the auditory feedback needed to learn a song. Their research lays the foundation for improving human speech, for example, in people whose auditory nerves are damaged and who must learn to speak without the benefit of hearing their own voices.

Full article: Medical News Today