Article published In:
Autism, Language, Communication and CognitionEdited by Stephanie Durrleman
[Evolutionary Linguistic Theory 4:1] 2022
► pp. 129–151
Edited by Stephanie Durrleman
[Evolutionary Linguistic Theory 4:1] 2022
► pp. 129–151
Rethinking the role of language in autism
Linguists have long sought to draw support from developmental disorders like Williams Syndrome (WS) and Specific Language Impairment (SLI) for linguistic theories and the modularity of language in particular. Linguistic diversity in the autism spectrum (ASD) has received comparatively little attention from linguists. Here I argue, against recent claims to the contrary, that language patterns in ASD do not support the modularity of language any more than WS or SLI are by now acknowledged to do. Rather, conceptualizing the linguistic diversity in question requires integrated neurocognitive models in which language is an inherent aspect of human-specific forms of cognition, social interaction, and communication. ASD can be seen as providing us with important indications of how these are linked.
Keywords: theory of mind, modularity, language and cognition
Article outline
- 1.The era of language
- 2.The second era
- 3.Problems with the ToM construct
- 4.The viewpoint from linguistic theory
- 5.A third era of autism?
- 6.Conclusions
- Notes
-
References
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