When novel sentences spoken or heard for the first time in the history of the universe are not enough¹: toward a dual‐process model of language

Abstract

Although interest in the language sciences was previously focused on newly created sentences, more recently much attention has turned to the importance of formulaic expressions in normal and disordered communication. Also referred to as formulaic expressions and made up of speech formulas, idioms, expletives, serial and memorized speech, slang, sayings, clichés, and conventional expressions, non-propositional language forms a large proportion of every speaker's competence, and may be differentially disturbed in neurological disorders. This review aims to examine non-propositional speech with respect to linguistic descriptions, psycholinguistic experiments, sociolinguistic studies, child language development, clinical language disorders, and neurological studies. Evidence from numerous sources reveals differentiated and specialized roles for novel and formulaic verbal functions, and suggests that generation of novel sentences and management of prefabricated expressions represent two legitimate and separable processes in language behaviour. A preliminary model of language behaviour that encompasses unitary and compositional properties and their integration in everyday language use is proposed. Integration and synchronizing of two disparate processes in language behaviour, formulaic and novel, characterizes normal communicative function and contributes to creativity in language. This dichotomy is supported by studies arising from other disciplines in neurology and psychology. Further studies are necessary to determine in what ways the various categories of formulaic expressions are related, and how these categories are processed by the brain. Better understanding of how non-propositional categories of speech are stored and processed in the brain can lead to better informed treatment strategies in language disorders.

Effects of neurological damage on production of formulaic language

“…This allows for the likelihood that routinized vocal behaviours are managed through a right hemisphere/subcortical circuit with minimal required input from left hemisphere language areas. The dual process model (Wray and Perkins, 2000; Van Lancker Sidtis, 2004; 2006b; 2008) posits that both kinds of language, novel and propositional, are ‘volitionally’ produced using both pyramidal and extrapyr- amidal systems, but that they are stored and processed differently from each other and utilize different cerebral resources. While it has long been observed that the intact left hemisphere can perform all kinds of linguistic processing well, these studies suggest that formulaic language can also be modulated by structures involving intact right hemisphere and/or subcortical nuclei.…”

“…Conversation includes a characteristic repertory of near-mandatory opening and closing speech formulae (‘how are you’, ‘have a good day’, ‘see you later’). Other formulaic expressions are idioms (‘He spilled the beans’), expletives (‘Oh, heck’), and a rather large array of conventional expressions which can be variously categorized (Wray, 2002; Van Lancker Sidtis, 2004). These differ from novel expressions in that they all have stereotyped form (certain words in a certain order) and conventionalized meanings (social or contextual meanings not strictly derivable from dictionary lexical representations).…”

“…These differ from novel expressions in that they all have stereotyped form (certain words in a certain order) and conventionalized meanings (social or contextual meanings not strictly derivable from dictionary lexical representations). Formulaic expressions are known to a language community (Kitzinger, 2000), and are used to achieve special purposes in communication (Tannen and Öztek, 1981; Wray and Perkins, 2000), such as structuring talk (Jucker, 1993; Fox Tree, 2006); negotiating complaints (Drew and Holt, 1988); partnership solidarity (Bell and Healey, 1992; Bruess and Pearson, 1993), maintaining fluency in various contexts such as sport, weather forecasting, horse races, and auctions (Kuiper, 2004), and generally sounding like a native speaker of the language (Fillmore, 1979; see review in Van Lancker Sidtis, 2004). …”

Facing the music: three issues in current research on singing and aphasia

“…The original manual of Melodic Intonation Therapy proposes phrases such as “I love you,” “how are you?” or “thank you” at the lower proficiency level of the program (Helm-Estabrooks et al, 1989). The phrases are stereotyped in form, tied to social context and, therefore, fall into the category of formulaic language (Van Lancker Sidtis, 2004). This fact is critical: according to present knowledge, the production of formulaic language engages bilateral neural networks including right frontotemporal areas, the right basal ganglia and, possibly, the right cerebellum (Hughlings-Jackson, 1878; Speedie et al, 1993; Ackermann et al, 1998; Van Lancker Sidtis et al, 2003; Sidtis et al, 2009).…”

Pragmatic and Cross-Cultural Workings of Perlocutionary Intertexts

“…Prodromou, 2008, p. 28). They are closely associated with sociocultural contexts (Kecskes, 2000;Van Lancker Sidtis, 2004). Solidarity or identification with a sociocultural group is signaled by a range of formulaic expressions, especially idioms.…”