Abstract
While common semantic representations for individual words across languages have been identified, a common meaning system at sentence-level has not been determined. In this study, fMRI was used to investigate whether an across-language sentence comprehension system exists. Chinese–Japanese bilingual participants (n = 32) were asked to determine whether two consecutive stimuli were related (coherent) or not (incoherent) to the same event. Stimuli were displayed with three different modalities (Chinese written sentences, Japanese written sentences, and pictures). The behavioral results showed no significant difference in accuracy and response times among the three modalities. Multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) of fMRI data was used to classify the semantic relationship (coherent or incoherent) across the stimulus modalities. The classifier was first trained to determine coherency within Chinese sentences and then tested with Japanese sentences, and vice versa. A whole-brain searchlight analysis revealed significant above-chance classification accuracy across Chinese and Japanese sentences in the supramarginal gyrus (BA 40), extending into the angular gyrus (BA 39) as well as the opercular (BA 44) and triangular (BA 45) parts of the inferior frontal gyrus in the left hemisphere (cluster-level FWE corrected p < 0.05). Significant above-chance classification accuracy was also found across Japanese sentences and pictures in the supramarginal (BA 40) and angular gyrus (BA 39). These results indicate that a common meaning system for sentence processing across languages and modalities exists, and it involves the left inferior parietal gyrus.
Highlights
Some of the languages in existence nowadays share similarities in phonological and/or orthographic properties, while others do not
In the across-language classification, significant classification accuracies were found in the left inferior parietal gyrus (IPG) and the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) (Supplementary Figure 4B), though the regions significantly activated were smaller than those obtained using the searchlight Multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA)
This study aimed to investigate whether an across-language sentence comprehension system exists using MVPA with Chinese–Japanese bilinguals, and whether such a system shares a common foundation for the broader comprehension of meaning in images
Summary
Some of the languages in existence nowadays share similarities in phonological and/or orthographic properties, while others do not. Language is a symbolic representation of the knowledge of the world, the meaning which is known as semantics in the domain of linguistics. Common Neural System Across Languages to assume that the neurobiological infrastructure that is largely shared among humans is likely to be the neural system that underlines semantic processing (Binder et al, 2009; Hagoort, 2014). The semantic properties of words/sentences are readily distinguished from their structural properties (Binder et al, 2009). The neural processing of different language structures is distinguishable (e.g., Tan et al, 2005; Grodzinsky and Friederici, 2006; Buchweitz et al, 2009), even as the brain regions overlap to some degree (e.g., Keller et al, 2001; Hickok and Poeppel, 2004)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
