Vortrag: Is there a gene for grammar? Asking for a linguist.

From the discovery of the so-called ‘language gene’ FOXP2 to the rise of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), language and language-related disorders have increasingly become central topics in genetic research. But how much does it actually reveal? And what kinds of questions should linguists be asking in response?

This talk is an open exploration of what we can (and cannot) learn from genetic research on language. Drawing from studies on FOXP2 and Developmental language disorder (DLD), I reflect on what it means when a gene is “associated” with language difficulties, why that doesn’t necessarily imply causality, and how motor control, brain development, and gene regulation all complicate our understanding of linguistic ability.

I also consider what linguists can contribute to this growing field, including more precise language phenotyping and theoretical perspectives that go beyond outdated binary models. This is not a talk with final answers, but an invitation: to think together, question the foundations, and find new paths between genome and grammar.

Info

Tag: 15.05.2025
Anfangszeit: 15:50
Dauer: 00:30
Raum: GWZ 4.216
Track: Neuro-/Psycholinguistics
Sprache: en

Links:

Gleichzeitige Events