Action and object naming versus verb and noun retrieval in connected speech: comparisons in late bilingual Greek–English anomic speakers
Journal
Aphasiology
Date Issued
February 2010
Author(s)
DOI
10.1080/02687030902958332
Abstract
Background: Recently, verb–noun processing differences were reported in a group of
late bilingual speakers with fluent, anomic aphasia in Greek (L1) as well as in English
(L2) (Kambanaros & van Steenbrugge, 2006). The findings revealed that verb
production was significantly more impaired than noun production in both languages
during picture naming despite preserved comprehension of action and object names.
Aims: The aim of this study is to investigate the total number (quantity) and the
diversity (quality or different types) of verbs and nouns produced in conversational
speech by the same group of bilingual anomic individuals with aphasia and compare the
results to (i) those of the non-brain-injured control group and (ii) their action and object
naming performances at the single word level, to determine if grammatical class
impairments are also evident in spontaneous speech.
Methods & Procedures: In order to examine the distribution and diversity of verbs and
nouns in spontaneous speech, speech samples of 300 words were collected from the
bilingual individuals with fluent aphasia and their controls in L1 and in L2 on two
separate occasions, 1 week apart. In addition, two subtests from the Greek Object and
Action Test (GOAT: Kambanaros, 2003), the object and action naming subtests, were
presented on two separate occasions, 1 week apart, to both groups of bilingual
participants in L1 and L2 (cf. Kambanaros & van Steenbrugge, 2006).
Outcomes & Results: Late bilingual participants with anomia showed no difficulties
retrieving verbs in spontaneous speech in L1 or L2 despite a significant verb deficit in
both languages on action naming tasks. However the bilingual group had significant
difficulties in relation to noun production in spontaneous speech in L1 and L2.
Conclusions: Picture naming remains the standard of word retrieval ability in aphasia.
However, object and action naming scores can underestimate and/or overestimate word
retrieval performance for nouns and verbs in connected speech.
late bilingual speakers with fluent, anomic aphasia in Greek (L1) as well as in English
(L2) (Kambanaros & van Steenbrugge, 2006). The findings revealed that verb
production was significantly more impaired than noun production in both languages
during picture naming despite preserved comprehension of action and object names.
Aims: The aim of this study is to investigate the total number (quantity) and the
diversity (quality or different types) of verbs and nouns produced in conversational
speech by the same group of bilingual anomic individuals with aphasia and compare the
results to (i) those of the non-brain-injured control group and (ii) their action and object
naming performances at the single word level, to determine if grammatical class
impairments are also evident in spontaneous speech.
Methods & Procedures: In order to examine the distribution and diversity of verbs and
nouns in spontaneous speech, speech samples of 300 words were collected from the
bilingual individuals with fluent aphasia and their controls in L1 and in L2 on two
separate occasions, 1 week apart. In addition, two subtests from the Greek Object and
Action Test (GOAT: Kambanaros, 2003), the object and action naming subtests, were
presented on two separate occasions, 1 week apart, to both groups of bilingual
participants in L1 and L2 (cf. Kambanaros & van Steenbrugge, 2006).
Outcomes & Results: Late bilingual participants with anomia showed no difficulties
retrieving verbs in spontaneous speech in L1 or L2 despite a significant verb deficit in
both languages on action naming tasks. However the bilingual group had significant
difficulties in relation to noun production in spontaneous speech in L1 and L2.
Conclusions: Picture naming remains the standard of word retrieval ability in aphasia.
However, object and action naming scores can underestimate and/or overestimate word
retrieval performance for nouns and verbs in connected speech.