Action to Language via the Mirror Neuron System: Action verbs, argument structure constructions, and the mirror neuron system

This chapter reviews recent evidence that the linguistic representation of action is grounded in the mirror neuron system. Section 10.2 summarizes the major semantic properties of action verbs and argument structure constructions, focusing on English but also considering cross-linguistic diversity. The theoretical framework is Construction Grammar, which maintains that the argument structure constructions in which action verbs occur constitute basic clausal patterns that express basic patterns of human experience. For example, the sentence She sneezed the napkin off the table exemplifies the Caused Motion Construction, which has the schematic meaning “X causes Y to move along path Z,” and the sentence She kissed him unconscious exemplifies the Resultative Construction, which has the schematic meaning “X causes Y to become Z” (Goldberg, 1995). Section 10.3 addresses the neuroanatomical substrates of action verbs and argument structure constructions. A number of neuroimaging and neuropsychological studies are described which suggest that different semantic properties of action verbs are implemented in different cortical components of the mirror neuron system, especially in the left hemisphere: (1) motoric aspects of verb meanings (e.g., the type of action program specified by kick) appear to depend on somatotopically mapped primary motor and premotor regions; (2) agent–patient spatial–interactive aspects of verb meanings (e.g., the type of object-directed path specified by kick) appear to depend on somatotopically mapped parietal regions; and (3) visual manner-of-motion aspects of verb meanings (e.g., the visual movement pattern specified by kick) appear to depend on posterior middle temporal regions. In addition, several neuropsychological studies are described which suggest that the meanings of argument structure constructions are implemented in left perisylvian cortical regions that are separate from, but adjacent to, those for verb meanings.

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