Neural Correlates of Processing Syntax in Music and ... - PubMan

Music and Language 42
ture (for a review, see Scott & Wise, 2004). In music, it may have relevance for processing
pitch, interval, and scale structure (Griffiths & Warren, 2002; Peretz & Zatorre,
2005). On the production side, the inferior frontal gyrus (BA 44 / 45) is regarded as an
interface between phonological generativity and syntactic functioning. This region is
assumed to be a large functional region, with sub-regions supporting syntactic, semantic,
and phonological operations (see below and the chapter on “Language perception”).
Finally, “distinctive” domain-specific and non-overlapping representations for information
bearing (semantic) functions of music and language are mainly found in extrasylvian,
temporal areas. In addition, music employs isometric rhythms and pitch blends
and language utilizes words and propositional syntax which may also be regarded as
distinct features (S. Brown, 2001). Key semantic areas for language (for reviews, see
Bookheimer, 2002; Indefrey & Levelt, 2004; Price, 2000) are found in the left middle
and inferior temporal gyrus (BA 21 / 20), bilateral ventral temporal pole (BA 38v), left
inferior parietal cortex (BA 39 ������������������������������������������������������inez,
and Parsons (2004) claimed the superior temporal pole as a plausible candidate area
for representing semantics in music, which might be related to the processing of motives.
4.2 Similarities in music and language acquisition
Linguistic and musical knowledge are the most complex systems universally acquired
by humans early in life. However, children acquire musical and linguistic rules in a
similar, effortless way and are early able to create new musical and verbal sentences by
applying a rule system that they have been capable to abstract without conscious intentions.
To this end, infants must derive structure amidst the information in their environment
(for a more detailed discussion of the acquisition mechanisms, see the chapters on
“Language perception” and “Music perception”).
McMullen and Saffran (2004) propose that similar mechanisms of learning and memory
may be utilized in the acquisition of knowledge in both domains. In particular, they
assume that while adult musical and linguistic processes are modularized to some extent
as separate entities, there may be similar developmental underpinnings in both domains.
This suggests that modularity is an emergent property (acquired with mere exposure).
McMullen and Saffran (2004; p. 290) assume that “knowledge of music [is] gained
implicitly from the musical exposure […] this process involves inducing structure from
environmental input”.
Some of the perceptual, computational, social and neural constraints that are proposed
by Kuhl (2004) to be essential for language acquisition may also apply for the acquisition
of the regularities of the own musical culture. Some perceptual constraints are