Project description
Structure and statistics interaction in language processing
There is an ongoing debate about language processing through structure (grammar) versus statistics (word probabilities). The brain maintains linguistic structures while adapting to changes, such as new words and diverse accents. Understanding this balance is key to neurocomputational theories of language. Yet, current models often overlook the importance of face-to-face communication. The ERC-funded DYNALANG project will integrate neural dynamics with ecologically valid statistics, proposing that structure and statistics support one another. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG) and dual-electroencephalography (EEG), it will investigate four languages and various behaviours, such as listening and speaking, to explore this integration. It will develop language models that combine neural activity with linguistic annotations, providing insights into how speech and gesture interact in the brain.
Objective
Language is a vital aspect of human life. Whether it is processed predominantly by its structure (grammar) or statistics (word probabilities) is a contention long debated in Psychology and Linguistics, reignited by the rise of statistics-based models like ChatGPT. Crucially, the brain preserves linguistic structure (speech sounds, grammar, pragmatics) while adapting to the statistics of a changing environment (new words, slang, diverse accents). Unraveling our ability to encode both structure and statistics is key to neurocomputational theories of language. Contemporary neuroscientific models excel at harnessing statistical properties of text, but overlook both linguistic structure and face-to-face language use— the source of the ‘true’ statistics the brain relies on. DYNALANG pioneers a new path for the neuroscience of language by using neural dynamics to integrate structure with ecologically-valid statistics. In contrast to existing approaches, it hypothesizes that structure and statistics support each other. It uses MEG and dual-EEG across four typologically-distinct languages and behaviors(listening, speaking, multimodal conversation) to discern the boundary conditions for integrating structure and statistics, forming the basis of innovative models reflecting the brain's statistical experience. DYNALANG harnesses neural dynamics, the intricate patterns in interconnected neuronal activity, as the brain's intrinsic computational method for information integration. DYNALANG develops manifold language models—latent spaces where neural and behavioral dynamics combine with linguistic annotations, whose dimensions and geometry isolate neural computations. DYNALANG will give unique insight into how speech and gesture form language in the brain, envisioning linguistic representation as dynamic rather than static. This will fundamentally change computational and neurobiological theories of language, impacting future brain-computer interfaces, clinical prostheses, and AI.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences neurobiology
- humanities languages and literature linguistics
- social sciences psychology
- natural sciences mathematics pure mathematics geometry
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology implants
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-COG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
80539 MUNCHEN
Germany
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