Learn locally, act globally: learning language from variation set cues
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Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Measuring Statistical Learning Across Modalities and Domains in School-Aged Children Via an Online Platform and Neuroimaging Techniques
Published on: June 30, 2020
Luca Onnis1, Heidi R Waterfall, Shimon Edelman
1Department of Second Language Studies, University of Hawaii, 1890 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA. lucao@hawaii.edu
Abstract:
Variation set structure--partial overlap of successive utterances in child-directed speech--has been shown to correlate with progress in children's acquisition of syntax. We demonstrate the benefits of variation set structure directly: in miniature artificial languages, arranging a certain proportion of utterances in a training corpus in variation sets facilitated word and phrase constituent learning in adults. Our findings have implications for understanding the mechanisms of L1 acquisition by children, and for the development of more efficient algorithms for automatic language acquisition, as well as better methods for L2 instruction.
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