Decoding the neural dynamics of within- and between-language lexical competition: A pediatric neurosurgical case report of a Spanish-English bilingual

• DOI: 10.1121/10.0016214
• Publication Date: 2022-11-29T20:57:12Z
• Authors: McCall E. Sarrett; Ariane E. Rhone; Christine Shea; Kristi Hendrickson; John B. Muegge; Christopher Kovach; Brian J. Dlouhy; Bob McMurray
• Keywords: Mental lexicon; Phonotactics

Spoken word recognition proceeds by immediately activating items in the mental lexicon which match incoming speech signal. These compete for over time. In multilinguals, array of possible lexical competitors includes across all their languages. Eye-tracking work indicates that strength early competitor activation relates to listeners’ proficiency: words from dominant language outcompete those other(s). However, neural mechanisms give rise this effect are not well known. We present a case study pediatric neurosurgical patient who was bilingual English (nondominant) and Spanish (dominant). The participant passively listened cohort competitors. used machine learning techniques decode within- between-language competition dynamics pattern activity on superior temporal plane. were more robustly decodable than words, regardless role as target (the actual heard given trial) or phonologically related competing activation). This is consistent with Spanish-dominant system—corroborating evidence eye-tracking—and suggests cohorts may be part due perceptual tuning auditory areas sounds language.