The Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics – Second Edition

The concept of Modularity, i.e., the degree to which the lexicon, syntax, and other neurocognitive domains operate independently of one another, has played an important role in theorizing about brain architecture and function, both in development and in adulthood. In this chapter, we present an overview of the theoretical and empirical arguments relevant to three parameters of modularity: localization, universals (ontogenetic and pathological), and domain specificity. Converging evidence from several research areas on language and other domains, including acquired brain damage and developmental disorders, lends little credence to the notion of prespecified modules, but rather supports a dynamic, experience-dependent view of the progressive localization and specialization (i.e., progressive modularization) of brain regions across developmental time