Language is one of the most salient features that distinguish human beings from the rest of the animal kingdom. However, non-human animals can process and learn many linguistic structures.

Chiara Santolin, through the GALA project, will analyse whether certain computations made by humans at the beginning of language learning stem from evolutionarily ancestral perceptual mechanisms. To do so, she will compare a unique combination of species, sensory modalities, and methods (brain imaging and behavioural techniques).

“GALA is a new approach to exploring the onset of language learning. This project will provide new empirical evidence concerning the nature of the mechanisms that allow humans access to language”, Chiara Santolin states.

Original UPF news