Event-related potentials for Turkish vowel harmony

Abstract

In this study, between ERPs (event-related potentials) for equivalent morpho-phonological possible and impossible nonwords are compared in terms of Turkish vowel harmony in an auditory mode. I researched processing of Turkish vowel harmony in the brain and relationships between N400 and morphophonological processing. In a small experiment, a native Turkish speaker listened to 20 sets of stimuli (papap, papep, papup…). Result: (1) For Turkish palatal harmony, the N400 value of peak amplitude for impossible nonwords is smaller than that for possible nonwords. (2) Turkish vowel harmony processing is associated with morphophonological processing and processing based on functional load. It appears that when Turkish palatal harmony rule is violated, response reflected on N400 toward presented stimuli is small, and also Turkish vowel harmony is parallely processed within the brain.