language and the brain

Language and the BrainAbdulaziz AssanosiPrince Sattam ibn Abdulaziz University Saudi Arabia

Abdulaziz Assanosi, [email protected]

The brain The brain is:

› Mass of gray and white matter” in our heads “serving to control and coordinate mental and physical actions

Mind is:› the activity of the brain, person’s thought process.

In this class we are going to study the relation between the brain and the language.

We will deal with both language production and comprehension.


Brain and the language Language is system of communication consists of a

set of sounds, grammar, or written symbol. The relation between this set and the concepts is

arbitrary. Both the concepts and the unit stands for them are

arbitrary. Knowing language is to know the arbitrary relation

and be able to code and encode symbols according to it.


Concepts and language

أبيضأخضر برتقالي

أسودأخضر بنفسجي

أزرقأصفر أحمر

زهريبرتقالي أبيض

Say the color of each one of he following shapes


Concept and language In the last game there is a struggle between

CONCEPTS and language. Your brain try to express the concepts, the other part

try to express the language. The difficulty is because there are more than one

context or clue to enable you to express


Language and concepts

Find the six hidden words


Concept and language What happen here is that there is no clear clue for

making concepts. Whenever there is a clue it is easier. The relationship between language and the brain

depend on this arbitrary relation between concepts and system of symbols and sound and grammar.


Body preference Most people used their right hand, foot, ear to hold

things, kick them or to listen carefully. About 10 % of world population use their left side of

their body. This is genetic, and it cannot be changed in

childhood. The reason for being left or right handed lies in the

brain.


The Hemispheres of the brain The brain is divided into two vertical halves. They seem like mirror images of one another. Each part is called hemisphere. The two hemisphere are connected with bundle of

nerves called corpus callosum.. There is a covering in each hemisphere called the

cortex.


The Hemispheres of the brain• Divided into two

hemispheres: the left and right hemispheres

• The hemispheres are connected by bundle of nerve fibers: the corpus callosum

Left hemi

Right hemi

Front

Corpus callosum


Lateralization of the brain

•Contralateral control: Each hemisphere controls opposite side of body• Left hemisphere controls right side of body• Right hemisphere controls left side of body


Do these tasks quickly please Close one eye. Kick the leg of the chair. Hold on of your ears. Write your name with your left hand Which eye do you close? Which foot do you use to kick the chair leg? Which hand do you use to hold your ear? Which ear do you hold? Did you write your name successfully?


Hemispheric Dominance

Although the labour of the brain is divided between the two hemispheres, normally one of the hemispheres have more function than the other.

This is called the hemispheric dominance. Usually the left hemisphere (which is responsible for

lang.) dominate the right one and do more tasks. Most human use their right hands and right side of

the body. This means that their left hemisphere dominate their right one.


Left handers Some left handers are right hemispheric, (not necessary). Left handers who are right hemispheric have language

problems, because of the struggle between the two hemispheres.

Worldwide male left handers are more than females ones. Attempts to change left handers children practice to be

right handers may cause problems.


Sound Preference Blackboard video #1


Sound Preference BB audio #1 Speech sound are processed in the left hemisphere. Other (non-speech) sound are processed in the right

hemisphere. The opposite is true for most left handers. For this, right handers perceive speech sound through their

right ear. These facts were proved by using dichotic listening test.

When you listen through a barrier, e.g. a closed door, you lean your right ear (if you are right hander).


Lateralization

Each hemisphere of the brain has special functions to do.

This separation of functions is called lateralization.

Language functions for 99% of right handers are located in the left hemisphere.

It deals with language production, comprehension, encoding and decoding.


Lateralization

Left hemisphere:› Analytical processing (analyzing information)› Language, speech sounds› Details › Mathematics› Temporal relations› Intellectual reasoning


Lateralization

•Right hemisphere:•Holistic processing (recognizing overall patterns, e.g., face recognition)•Non-speech sounds•Music (in musically naïve individuals)• Visual-spatial skills• Emotional reactions


Functions of language in the brain Speech production is generated in Wernicke’s area

and sent for Broca’s area for encoding. Speech comprehension is received by the cortex near

the ear and moved to the Wernicke’s area. Any defect on one of the areas will affect the

linguistic ability of the patient. Language disorder (aphasias) are the results of the

brain damage


Brain areas involved in Language

There are many areas identified as involved in the production and comprehension of language.

The front part of the brain is involved in auditory function of language.

The area next to the front is involved in the motor tasks of language (writing and speaking).


Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area These areas are important in language production. They are located on the left (or the dominant) hemisphere of

the brain. The upper part of the front area of the brain is called Broca’s

area. It is responsible for speech production. The lower back part of the brain is Wernicke area called is

responsible for speech comprehension. Both of the areas are connected with a bundle of nerve fibres. Both of the them share all functions of language production

and comprehension.


Broca’s Area Named after the French pathologist and neurosurgeon

Pierre Paul Broca (1824 – 80) who discover the area. He discovered that this area (in the front part of the brain)

which is involved in the production of speech. He discovered another motor area which control the muscle

of articulators and lies next to Broca’s area and connected to it.

The process of speech start in Broca’s area then transferred to motor area to control speech production.


Wernick’s area Named after the German neurologist Carl Wernick (1848 –

1905). He discovered this area to the back of the brain which is

involved in speech comprehension. It is connected to Broca’s area by a bundle of nerves, that

explain why the processes of speech comprehension and production are interrelated. According to Wernicke, the sound goes from ear to the auditory area then to Wernicke’s area.

Wernick’s area is also involved in reading. The question is whether it is important for someone to access the sound of the word so as to understand its meaning?


Other areas of language in the brain

There are other areas in the brain also contribute to language knowledge and use.

These areas are include in paralinguistic and social aspects of language (whispering, singing, reciting poetry, supplication ….etc.

Right hemisphere is involved in understanding discourse and complete units, and putting ideas together into one unit.

Patients with problem in the right hemisphere have structuring problem, disturbing speech and jumping form one topic to another.


The Bilingual Brain

For the learning of second language, one needs to operate his/her right hemisphere.

Many research studies find right hemisphere involvement in the acquisition and use of right hemisphere of the brain.

Taking courses in using both hemispheres of the brain can be useful for Second Language Learning.

Studies about lateralization of the brain are still going on and many fact are unfolded yet.

Knowing about language and the brain can help in knowing much about language disorder.


Thank You This presentation is for classroom usage, it contained

gaps to be filled by classroom discussion for more detailed information consult the reference book:

An introduction to Psycholinguistics, second edition (2006)Danny Steinberg and Natalia, Sciarini.

The multimedia file embedded in this presentation are available in Blackboard. You can download them from there if they fail to launch in your computer.

language and the brain

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