Linguistic heterogeneity in Williams syndrome

Abstract

Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disorder resulting from a deletion on chromosome 7. A number of studies have shown that individuals with WS have a superior linguistic profile compared to their non‐verbal abilities, however the evidence has been inconclusive, as many studies have disputed such a profile. The vast majority of studies on WS have assumed a single, homogeneous WS linguistic profile in order to support various theoretical viewpoints. The present study investigated the linguistic profiles of 5 individuals with WS on a number of standardized verbal measures and in conversational settings. The results indicated substantially variable performance in all aspects of the verbal domain, which supports the view that WS, linguistically, is a rather heterogeneous condition and this should be taken into consideration when referring to it in theoretical accounts of language acquisition and debates on modularity.

• Williams syndrome
• modularity
• linguistic heterogeneity