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How do we study language in 
the brain? 
0Neurolingiustics: 
Neurolinguistics studies the 
neurological bases of language . Explores how the 
processing involved in language takes place across 
nerves . Pays close attention to chemical and electrical 
processing in the brain . 
0Psycholinguistics: 
Psycholinguistics studies the 
psychological underpinnings of language . Focuses on 
acquisition, storage, comprehension, and production of 
language .
Localization: 
0Attempts to locate language in the brain 
having a long history. 
0This suggested that language must be an 
independent faculty and not part of our 
general powers of thought and reasons. 
0It states that two parts of the brain are flexible 
enough. 
0Noam Chomsky derived attention to the fact 
that every normal child successfully acquires a 
first language , no matter what its intelligence 
or learning style is .
Lateralization: 
0Human body is asymmetrical: heart, liver, use 
of limbs, etc. 
0Functions of the brain become lateralized. 
0Each hemisphere specialized for particular 
ways of working. 
0Split-brain patients are good examples of 
lateralization of language functions. 
0In infancy , the relationship between the two 
parts of the brain is flexible enough for 
language to relocate itself on the right when 
necessary.
LAD: 
0LAD stands for language acquisition device . 
0LAD is inborn in a child. 
0According to some scientists it ends after the 
age of 7 years but many says that it ends after 
the age of 12 years. 
0Human brain id divided into two parts i.e. left 
hemisphere and right hemisphere. 
0Left hemisphere controls the right one and 
right hemisphere controls the left one.
Brain areas involved in 
language:
Geography of Brain: 
Upper vs Lower 
Left vs Right 
Front vs Back
Upper vs Lower Brain : 
0Upper Brain: 
The upper parts of the brain consists 
of `grey matter` known as cortex . It deals with stored 
information , analyzing input and controlling 
sophisticated muscular movements . Below it is the sub-cortex 
of `white matter` which is mainly nerve cell 
fibers . 
0Lower Brain: 
Lower parts of the brain are 
responsible for reflexes action , controlling functions 
such as breathing and heart beat . The cerebellum at the 
base of the brain has a delicate role in coordinating a 
range of muscular movements which have become 
highly automatic .
Left vs Right Brain : 
Left and right brain are joined by a complex web of 
nerve connections known as the corpus callosum . 
0Left Brain: 
The left hemisphere controls movement 
and sensation on the right side of the body . The left 
hemisphere in most individual is associated with 
analytic processing and symbolization . 
0Right Brain: 
The right hemisphere is linked to the 
left side of the body . The right hemisphere is associated 
with perceptual and spatial representation .
Front vs Back Brain: 
0 The outer surface of the brain is marked by mounds 
and valleys . These serve to mark out four regions in 
each hemisphere , known as lobes . These are : 
• Frontal lobe ( at the front ) 
• Temporal lobe ( running from front to back ) 
• Occipital lobe ( at the back ) 
• Parietal lobe ( at the back )
Language disorders: 
0Aphasias are inability to perceive, process, or 
produce language due to physical damage to the 
brain. 
0Broca’s aphasia results in an inability to produce 
sequences of sounds in fluent speech; tendency to 
eliminate any functional vocabulary. 
0Wernicke’s aphasia results in inability to 
understand speech and inability to speak 
meaningfully. 
0Acquired dyslexia and Acquired dysgraphia 
due to angular gyrus damage.
Comparison between 
human and primitive 
brains:
The cortex is much more extensive in human beings . 
Human pre-frontal areas are up to six times bigger than 
those of chimpanzees . 
The brain of other species are divided into two hemisphere . 
Like human beings a number of species have a left 
hemisphere which is more developed . 
In monkeys , the left hemisphere dominates in the processing 
of rapid auditory stimuli . 
In human beings , a great proportion of the motor areas is 
given over to the control of mouth , tongue and jaw . 
The human cerebellum is very much larger , relative to brain 
size , than in other species . 
The motor areas in human cortex control larynx , which 
regulates the passage of air in breathing and speech . 
In other species the operation of larynx is controlled by other 
parts of the brain .
Language and brain