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Semin Speech Lang 2016; 37(01): 034-047
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1572383
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Verb Argument Structure in Narrative Speech: Mining AphasiaBank

Svetlana Malyutina
1   Neurolinguistics Laboratory, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
2   Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
,
Jessica D. Richardson
2   Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
3   Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
,
Dirk B. den Ouden
2   Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
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Publication History

Publication Date:
16 February 2016 (online)

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Abstract

Previous research has found that verb argument structure characteristics (such as the number of participant roles in the situation described by the verb) can facilitate or hinder aphasic language production and comprehension in constrained laboratory tasks. This research needs to be complemented by studies of narrative or unrestricted speech, which can capture the spontaneous selection of verbs and grammatical structures by people with aphasia and may be particularly sensitive to the relative cost of access to different verb types in more natural conditions. Focusing on the number of subcategorization options, we investigated verb argument structure effects in a large sample of narratives from AphasiaBank, by speakers with aphasia, as well as control speakers without brain damage. Verb argument structure complexity did not negatively affect verb selection in any type of aphasia. However, people with aphasia, particularly with Broca's aphasia, used verbs in less complex and diverse ways, with fewer arguments and less diverse subcategorization options. In line with previous research, this suggests that deficits in verb use in aphasia are likely due to difficulties with the online application of or partial damage to verb argument structure knowledge.

Keywords

Verb argument structure - aphasia - subcategorization options - spontaneous speech in aphasia - verb processing in aphasia
 

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