Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 30, 2025

13:51
Cross-Modal Multivariate Pattern Analysis
Published on: November 9, 2011
20.0K
Extending the Architecture of Language From a Multimodal Perspective
Peter Hagoort1,2, Aslı Özyürek1,2
1Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen.
Topics in Cognitive Science
|March 17, 2024
Summary
Language is multimodal, integrating spoken words with visual cues like gestures. Distributional semantics offers a way to represent both speech and gestures in a unified semantic framework.
Area of Science:
- Linguistics
- Cognitive Science
- Computational Linguistics
Background:
- Language is inherently multimodal, with spoken and visual signals playing crucial roles.
- Co-speech gestures are integral to linguistic structure and meaning representation in spoken languages.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present evidence supporting the multimodality of language.
- To propose a framework for integrating speech and co-speech gestures.
Main Methods:
- Reviewing evidence for language multimodality.
- Proposing distributional semantics as an integration format.
Main Results:
- Language processing inherently involves integrating auditory and visual information.
- Distributional semantics can provide a unified representation for multimodal linguistic input.
Conclusions:
- Language is fundamentally multimodal, requiring models that account for both speech and gesture.
- Distributional semantics presents a viable computational approach for multimodal language representation.
Keywords:
Co‐speech gesturesDistributional semanticsMemory, Unification, Control (MUC) modelMultimodalSpeechUnificationMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Language
213
Language is a unique communication system that uses words and systematic rules to organize and transmit information. Unlike other forms of communication, which may involve postures, movements, odors, or vocalizations, language relies on symbols and grammar. This makes human communication distinct from that of other species, who also communicate but do not use language in the same way humans do.
Corballis and Suddendorf (2007) and Tomasello and Rakoczy (2003) highlight the role of language in...
Corballis and Suddendorf (2007) and Tomasello and Rakoczy (2003) highlight the role of language in...
213
Language and Cognition
345
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
345
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language
809
Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
809
Components of Language
272
Language, whether spoken, signed, or written, consists of specific components: lexicon and grammar. The lexicon is the vocabulary of a language, comprising its words. Grammar is the set of rules used to convey meaning through the lexicon. For example, English grammar adds “-ed” to most verbs to indicate past tense. Words are formed by combining phonemes, which are the basic sound units of a language. Different languages have different sets of phonemes (e.g., “ah” vs.
272
Lateralization
330
Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.
330
Language Development
360
Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
360

