Abstract
How do young children develop structured mental representations for
the vast number of words in any given language? How do bilinguals
deal with the even more daunting task of organizing two lexicons?
Our research attempts to provide insights into the understanding of
these questions from computational and neurocognitive perspectives.
In particular I will present DevLex, a computational
model of the development of lexicon (Li et al., 2004, 2007). Of particular relevance to the issue of dynamic self-organization is the model’s
ability to demonstrate how early learning impacts later development,
that is, how early learning leads to dedicated cognitive and neural
structures that affect the shape and outcome of later development
(positively or adversely). In the case of monolingual acquisition,
rapid vocabulary growth observed in early childhood (the so-called
“vocabulary spurt”) is predated and prepared by the system’s building
of a structural representation that sets up the basic organization of the
lexicon. In the case of bilingual acquisition, the structural consolidation of the first-language lexicon adversely impacts the representation
and retrieval of the second-language lexicon, resulting parasitic L2
structure due to reduced plasticity in the organization and restructuring process (Hernandez & Li, 2007). These findings point to the
developmental dynamics in which mechanisms of learning interact
with the timing and history of learning to determine developmental
trajectories.
Original language | English |
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Publication status | Submitted - 2008 |
Externally published | Yes |
Event | XVI International Conference on Infant Studies - Vancouver, Canada Duration: 27 Mar 2008 → 30 Mar 2008 https://infantstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/2008-ICIS-Program-Book.pdf |
Conference
Conference | XVI International Conference on Infant Studies |
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Abbreviated title | XVI ICIS 2008 |
Country/Territory | Canada |
Period | 27/03/08 → 30/03/08 |
Internet address |