Distinct spatiotemporal patterns of syntactic and semantic processing in human inferior frontal gyrus

Zhu et al. show using intracranial recordings that semantic and syntactic (grammatical) processing elicit distinct patterns of neural activity in speakers of Chinese, a language for which the distinction between syntax and semantics has been questioned. Human languages are based on syntax, a set of rules which allow an infinite number of meaningful sentences to be constructed from a finite set of words. A theory associated with Chomsky and others holds that syntax is a mind-internal, universal structure independent of semantics. This theory, however, has been challenged by studies of the Chinese language showing that syntax is processed under the semantic umbrella, and is secondary and not independent. Here, using intracranial high-density electrocorticography, we find distinct spatiotemporal patterns of neural activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus that are specifically associated with syntactic and semantic processing of Chinese sentences. These results suggest that syntactic processing may occur before semantic processing. Our findings are consistent with the view that the human brain implements syntactic structures in a manner that is independent of semantics.

Automated summary

Zhu et al. found that semantic and syntactic processing in Chinese speakers elicit distinct patterns of neural activity. This contrasts with previous findings which suggested that syntax is processed under the umbrella of semantics and is not independent.