Electrophysiological responses to proverbs: from neurocognitive mechanisms towards single-participant diagnostics of language processing

Proverbs are familiar, easily recognisable statements that could be well-suited to study language processing in clinical populations. However, few studies have investigated electrophysiological correlates of proverb processing. We recorded ERPs from 33 healthy participants while they listened to common German proverbs with (1) correct, (2) semantically possible or (3) nonsense endings. Group analysis revealed strong N400 effects for correct versus both possible and nonsense endings, but no difference between possible and nonsense endings, suggesting retrieval from long-term memory to dominate over semantic integration. A possible–nonsense difference emerged as a frontal positivity between 600–700 ms, indicating later semantic reanalysis. In single-participant analysis, depending on the statistic used and contrast chosen, 33.3–63.3% of participants showed a significant N400 effect. These findings indicate that proverb processing follows a two-stage process and that proverbs may be useful to assess language processing capabilities at both group and individual levels.