Unit 3

Language and the brain

1. Animals and language

In which ways is human language similar to and different from animal communication?

Write down 4 remarkable things that we’re able to do with language.

Can the difference in communication system be located in the brain?

 How do you think the human brain might differ from those of other species?

a) Is it larger than those of other species?

b) Is it more densely packed with neurons than those of other species?

c) Is it larger relative to body weight than those of other species?

d) Does it grow faster than other brains?

Physical differences between the human brain and those of other species: mainly the cortex and the
motor area.

Can the difference in communication systems be located in the brain?

The hemispheres of the brain.

Left brain: Logic, analysis, sequencing, linear, mathematics, language, facts, think in words, words o
songs, computation.

Right brain: Creativity, imagination, holistic thinking, intuition, arts (motor skills), rhythm (beats),
non-verbal, feelings, visualization, tune of songs, daydreaming.

Watch video. On page 12 of ppt.

How the brain works

The left hemisphere controls the right side of the body, and the right hemisphere controls the left
side of the body.

Question

Considering this last fact and also considering that most aspects of language are
generally controlled by the left hemisphere, would processing through the left
ear be faster or slower than through the right ear? Why?
Dichotic listening

The lobes of the brain

Language related functions in the brain

How do we know some areas of the brain are related to language? With different techniques, tasks.

Looking at the brain of deceased people, seeing which area is damaged.

Other ways of analyzing the brain:

 Wada test.


What does it mean that some people are left or right lateralized?

For language, it means that some people use the right side or left side. Language usually happens in
the left side.

Split-brain patients: -watch videos. No sharing of information between hemispheres.

Hemispherectomy.

Speech comprehension: Wernicke's.

Seeing words:

SPEECH AND LANGUAGE DISORDERS

Main classification

 Acquired: impairments that happen after language-skills have been developed.

o Broca’s Aphasia:

Symptoms:
 - You comprehend things, but you can’t produce. They have problems with little
words (determinants, etc). They focus on content words.

- Speech problems: pauses hesitations, sometimes articulation problems.

o Wernicke’s aphasia:

Symptoms:

- Very fluent. Repetition of a lot of words. Problems comprehending others and

themselves.

 Developmental (could be more generic):

o Down Syndrome: problems articulating.

Language loss through aging

 Because of hearing.
 Lexical access.

Is there an organ in the brain dedicated only to language?

There’s an area dominantly for language, but it does other things, too.