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> given that there aren't obvious word order patterns across languages, how does the human brain do so well at learning the rules that are a peculiarity to any

> given that there aren't obvious word order patterns across languages, how does the human brain do so well at learning the rules that are a peculiarity to any one of them? That simply means there are rules at a deeper level in the brain, and they may crystallize this way, or that way, depending on the particular language. The study, if correct, simply says the rules are not apparent at the outermost level. Well, dig deeper, go closer to the hardware, and at some level the universal order should appear again. After all, my neurons don't work any different than your neurons. But I suspect the highest level where universal rules operate is higher than that.

entangld 16y ago
There are similar analogies to bird songs. In bird studies, one bird species can be raised completely around a foreign bird species until they learn the foreign songs, yet the native fledgling will sing the new notes in their own species specific patterns (as if there is a neural template). I'm not a linguistic professional, but I imagine humans have some hardwired language patterns and others that are historical artifacts.
- nopassrecover 16y ago
  Or it could just be because they are different species - that means different vocal chords, different brains, different ears and so on. It's equivalent to saying "chimpanzees act like baby humans when taught to play with blocks, yet still retain distinctive means of movement".
  - entangld 16y ago
    That study was about the presence of a neural template (and perhaps a linguistic one). Before the study people thought it might be possible for any singing bird to sing any other bird's songs. An abstracted view of the point of the study is perhaps there is some hardwiring in our communication. Kernels of hardwiring that can't be nurtured away. In humans it would be analogous to the universal laws of linguistics. It was just something to think about. Next time I'll just link the study.
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entangld 16y ago

There are similar analogies to bird songs. In bird studies, one bird species can be raised completely around a foreign bird species until they learn the foreign songs, yet the native fledgling will sing the new notes in their own species specific patterns (as if there is a neural template). I'm not a linguistic professional, but I imagine humans have some hardwired language patterns and others that are historical artifacts.

nopassrecover 16y ago
Or it could just be because they are different species - that means different vocal chords, different brains, different ears and so on. It's equivalent to saying "chimpanzees act like baby humans when taught to play with blocks, yet still retain distinctive means of movement".
- entangld 16y ago
  That study was about the presence of a neural template (and perhaps a linguistic one). Before the study people thought it might be possible for any singing bird to sing any other bird's songs. An abstracted view of the point of the study is perhaps there is some hardwiring in our communication. Kernels of hardwiring that can't be nurtured away. In humans it would be analogous to the universal laws of linguistics. It was just something to think about. Next time I'll just link the study.

deleted 16y ago

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