Many bilingual individuals acquire their second language when entering primary school; however, very few studies have investigated morphosyntax processing in this population. Combining a whole-brain and region of interest (ROI)-based approach, we studied event-related fMRI during morphosyntactic processing, specifically person-number phi-features, in Turkish (L1) and Persian (L2) by highly proficient bilinguals who learned Persian at school entry. In a design with alternating language switching and pseudorandomized grammaticality conditions, two left-lateralized syntax-specific ROIs and 11 bilateral ROIs involved in executive functions (EF) were analyzed for the intensity of activation relative to a resting baseline. Our findings indicate a strong overlap of neural networks for L1 and L2, suggesting structural similarities of neuroanatomical organization. In all ROIs morphosyntactic processing invoked stronger activation in L1 than in L2. This may be a consequence of symmetrical switch costs in the alternating design used here, where the need for suppressing the non-required language is stronger for the dominant L1 when it is non-required as compared to the non-dominant L2, leading to a stronger rebound for L1 than L2 when the language is required. Both L1 and L2 revealed significant activation in syntax-specific areas in left hemisphere clusters and increased activation in EF-specific areas in right-hemisphere than left-hemisphere clusters, confirming syntax-specific functions of the left hemisphere, whereas the right hemisphere appears to subserve control functions required for switching languages. While previous reports indicate a leftward bias in planum temporale activation during auditory and linguistic processing, the present study shows the activation of the right planum temporale indicating its involvement in auditory attention. More pronounced grammaticality effect in left pars opercularis for L1 and in left pSTG for L2 indicate differences in the processing of morphosyntactic information in these brain regions. Nevertheless, the activation of pars opercularis and pSTG emphasize the centrality of these regions in the processing of person-number phi-features. Taken together, the present results confirm that morphosyntactic processing in bilinguals relates to composite, syntax-sensitive and EF-sensitive mechanisms in which some nodes of the language network are differentially involved.

One common language disorder in autistic children is syntax disorder. The current research aims to examine the relationship between mirror neurons stimulation by intentional movements imitation and verbal imitation with syntax skill development in autistic children. This research was performed using an experimental applied design and convenience sampling method. First, the researcher designed a functional and easy model for autistic children rehabilitation based on intentional movement imitation and verbal imitation; Then, using TPR (Total Physical Response) method. A pilot study was conducted on a Persian-speaking autistic girl aged 7 in 12 sessions for four weeks in Iran University of Medical Sciences, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, and effective positive effects were observed. Then, 8 Persian-speaking autistic children were examined in terms of entrance criteria, and finally, 5 autistic girls aged 5-8 were selected and underwent training courses for 42 sessions over 14 weeks (3 20-30 minute sessions). In order to examine syntax skills of the subjects including grammatical understanding, sentence imitation and grammatical completion, before and after intervention, TOLD-P3 test was used. Each subject, as his/her Control was examined before and after intervention. Furthermore, two months after a 14-week stopping period, all the subjects were re-examined using TOLD-P3 test, and finally, results stability was examined. The research findings were analyzed using ANOVA test. The findings show that mirror neurons stimulation in autistic children through intentional movement imitation and verbal imitation has a positive effect on syntax skill improvement on these children thereby facilitating their verbal communication.

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The present study mainly aims to indicate a general classification of causative construction in modern Persian. In this context, transitive and inchoative structures are also analyzed in modern Persian. In this paper, three causative Persian constructions are identified based on Comrie's classification on causative construction. And also different morphological and syntactic strategies of causativizing in passive construction are analyzed. In general, the term causative (henceforth CAUS( describes that which yields a consequence or an effect. On the other hand, the term causation refers to the relationship between a cause and an effect;logically, a cause must exist in order for an effect to take place. In the description of a natural language, causative normally selects a verb or verbal affix that describes causation

Left dislocation (ld) is a very productive syntactic construction in persian, especially, in spoken language (dabir-moghaddam, 1992 s a topic-promoting construction and its leftdislocated constituent, depending on the previous discourse, could be 'aboutness secondary topic' or 'contrastive focus' which is normally marked with postpositon '-ra'. Ld as an abstract construction is inherited by less abstract constructions and also inherits some properties from more abstract ones (or is motivated). Consequently, the theory could locate the position of ldc in the hierarchical network of constructions in the mind of persian speakers.