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Kenneth N. Wexler, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology and Linguistics
Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Building: 46-3029
Lab: Wexler Lab
Email: wexler@mit.edu
Professor of Psychology and Linguistics
Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Building: 46-3029
Lab: Wexler Lab
Email: wexler@mit.edu
Language Acquisition, Language Loss, and Psycholinguistic Theory
The Wexler ab/Normal Language Lab seeks to understand the nature of the computational system of human language in its many guises. We study most aspects of linguistic structure, including syntax, semantics, pragmatics and morphology. In pursuing these goals, we take as our primary linguistic data abnormal language, by which we mean nothing more than any system of language that seems to differ from standard adult language for biological reasons, including lack of maturation, difficulties in learning, and genetic variation.
Thus we study immature language in the child (the development of language), language learned at an unusually late age where there might be lack of plasticity (second language acquisition), aphasia (language loss) and unusual language due to genetic factors (Specific Language Impairment, Downs & Williams syndrome, autism, etc). In addition, language learning (e.g. parameter-setting) is studied via precise computational models.
The lab integrates insightful ideas from current linguistic theory with intensive and extensive experimental investigations. At the same time, our theoretical and experimental results often feed back into and influence linguistic theory, for there is much evidence about the nature of the computational system of language that is unavailable to traditional linguistic inquiry, but is available under conditions of abnormal language.
Wexler, K. (2002). Lenneberg's Dream: Learning Normal Language Development and Specific Language Impairment. In J. Schaffer and Y. Levy (Eds.) Language competence accross populations: Towards a definition of Specific Language Impairment. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. PDF
Wexler, K. (1998). Very early parameter setting and the unique checking constraint:
A new explanation of the optional infinitive stage. Lingua 106: 23-79.
Wexler, K., Schutze, C. and Rice, M. (1998). Subject case in children with SLI and unaffected controls: Evidence for the Agr/Tns omission model. Language Acquisition 7(2-4): 317-344.
