Rhythms of Speech and Language

This book showcases the current state-of-the-art research on rhythm in speech and language. Decades of study have revealed that bodily rhythms are crucial for producing and understanding speech and language, and for understanding their evolution and variability across populations – not only adults, but also developmental and clinical populations. It is also clear that there is perplexing dimensionality and variability of rhythm within and across languages. The book offers the scientific foundation for harmonizing physiological universality and cultural diversity, fostering collaborative breakthroughs across research domains. Its 47 chapters cover physiology, cognition, and culture, presenting knowledge from neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, phonetics, and communication research. It is ideal for academics, researchers, and professionals seeking interdisciplinary insights into the essence of human communication. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

Lars Meyer investigates the neurobiology of language. He is a group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, and a researcher at the Clinic for Phoniatrics and Pedaudiology, University Hospital Münster. His doctoral work received the Otto Hahn Medal by the Max Planck Society.

Antje Strauß is a cognitive neuroscientist interested in speech processing. She received her PhD at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, and has completed postdoctoral fellowships in Grenoble and Geneva. She currently conducts research at the University of Konstanz.