Origins of Language and Language and the Brain
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The document provides an overview of the nature and origins of human language. It discusses key aspects of language including that it is a method of human communication using structured words, has cultural variations in areas like body language, and generally conveys messages. The origins of language are explored including divine creation, natural sound imitation, physical adaptation of the vocal tract, and an innate language capacity. Key parts of the vocal tract that enable speech are identified. The brain regions involved in language like Broca's and Wernicke's areas are also examined. Various language phenomena such as aphasia, malapropisms, and tip of the tongue experiences are summarized.
Origins of Language and Language and the Brain
- 2. What is Language? Language is the method of human communication, either spoken, written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way.
- 3. Communication Interaction Substantial variation Flow of speech Eye-contact (cultural) Body language (cultural) Reaction to audience Is there a message always being conveyed? What else is language?
- 4. The Origins of Language Divine Source: God-given language, no exposure needed Many religions state that a god or divine being created language/languages Natural Sound Theory: Bow-Wow Hypothesis, Onomatopoeia Primitive languages began when humans imitated sounds that they heard in nature
- 5. The Origins of Language Physical Adaptation: Specialization of the human Vocal Tract The human body is specialized to produce speech. Other animals (specifically chimpanzees and apes) have similar bodily structures, but cannot speak. Only humans are specialized for speech. Genetic Source: Innateness hypothesis Humans are born with a special capacity for language genetically “hard-wired” into our brains. There may even be a language gene.
- 6. The Vocal Tract: How we speak Lungs: Force air through the vocal tract Larynx: The “voice box” containing the vocal cords/folds which produce speech sounds Pharynx: A cavity which acts as a resonator, making sounds louder, clearer, and giving them greater range Mouth: (Oral cavity) can be opened and closed rapidly Tongue: Muscular speech organ used to shape sounds inside the oral cavity Lips: Flexibility allows for creation of sounds like p and b Teeth: Upright and firm allowing for creation of sounds like f and v
- 7. Chimp vs. Human: Why we can speak but other primates can’t. The physical structure of the human body allows us to produce a wide variety of speech sounds. While chimpanzees and other primates have similar physical structures, they are arranged differently, in a manner not conducive to the production of speech sounds. Chimpanzee Human
- 8. Language and the Brain – Chapter 12 (Yule) Neurolinguistics: The study of the relationship between language and the brain Where is language production located inside the brain? Medical evidence shows that language is produced in specific brain locations: Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area, both located in the brain’s left hemisphere Brain injuries might cause or be directly related to: Language-impairment, including language production and comprehension Conversation maintenance issues
- 9. Severe Brain Injury and Language Phineas Gage (Cavendish, Vermont) - In 1848, a steel tamping rod (13 lbs., 1.25” diameter) exploded through his skull and his left frontal cortex. He physically recuperated and returned to work, his speech ability apparently unaltered. Therefore, the left-front part of the brain does NOT control speech.
- 10. Left Hemisphere: Parts of the brain that control speech Broca’s Area: Involved in the production of speech sounds Wernicke’s Area: Involved in the understanding of speech Motor Cortex: Controls the movement of muscles, including those of the face, jaw, tongue, and larynx Arcuate Fasciculus: Connects Wernicke’s Area to Broca’s Area -A reduction in both size and activity in the arcuate fasciculus has been linked to dyslexia. http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2013/brain- scans-may-help-diagnose-dyslexia- 0813.html
- 12. Speech Phenomenon: Tip of the Tongue y “This dog of yours is not very… what’s the word I’m looking for? He doesn’t think about other people before he does something. It’s kind of a long word, starts with a C.” “Considerate?” “Yeah. This dog’s not very considerate.” Tip of the tongue: When you can think of the general structure of the word, often including the initial sound and number of syllables, but cannot produce the word.
- 13. Speech Phenomenon: Malapropisms Malapropism: When we say an incorrect word which has structural similarities to the word we meant to say. Examples: - apprehension instead of comprehension - unparalyzed instead of unparalleled - hostile instead of hostage - condemned instead of commended “We cannot let terrorists and rogue nations hold this nation hostile or hold our allies hostile.” ~George W. Bush August 21, 2000
- 14. Speech Phenomenon: Spoonerisms Spoonerism (Slip of the tongue) – A spoken error often involving the interchange of two initial sounds Examples: - Make a long shory stort (Make a long story short) - A tup of kea (A cup of tea) Spoonerisms get their name from William Spooner (1844-1930), a clergyman who once described Jesus as a “shoving leopard” when he meant to say “loving shepherd.”
- 15. Speech Phenomenon: Slip of the Ear “Have you seen my gray tape?” “Your great ape?!”
- 16. To force heaven, Mars shall have a new angel. 247 Marshall Avenue, Angel (CA)
- 17. “AN IMPAIRMENT OF LANGUAGE FUNCTION DUE TO LOCALIZED BRAIN DAMAGE THAT LEADS TO DIFFICULTY IN UNDERSTANDING OR PRODUCING LINGUISTIC FORMS” THE STUDY OF LANGUAGE, YULE, 2010 COMMON CAUSES OF APHASIA ARE STROKES AND TRAUMATIC HEAD INJURIES. APHASIA
- 18. Aphasia Aphasia is an impairment of language function due to localized brain damage Commonly caused by stroke, trauma, head injuries Mild to severe Difficulties understanding will lead to difficulties producing language Understanding and speaking abilities are deeply connected
- 19. What do you think? What do you think could happen if a stroke occurred on the left side of the brain?
- 20. Aphasia Broca’s (or expressive) Motor aphasia Reduced amount of speech Distorted articulation Slow, effortful speech Speech mainly formed by nouns and verbs Agrammatic speech “I eggs and eat and drink coffee breakfast.” Wernicke’s (or sensory) Sensory aphasia Difficulties in auditory (listening) comprehension Production of fluent yet incomprehensible speech Use of general terms “I can’t talk all of the things I do, and part of the part I can go alright, but I can’t tell from the other people.” Anomia – difficulty finding the correct word
- 21. Kirk Douglas http://youtu.be/_k6aemk6sck Actor Kirk Douglas suffered a severe stroke in 1996, which impaired his ability to speak.
- 22. H T T P : / / W W W. Y O U T U B E . C O M / WAT C H ? V = B - L D 5 J Z X P L E & F E AT U R E = S H AR E & L I S T = P L 2 E D 8 4 7 9 3 A9 0 F F B 5 5 Wernicke’s aphasia samples
- 23. Different views on recovery for bilinguals (Vaid and Genesee, 1980) Ribot’s Law “Languages learned early in development would be more resistant to impairment caused by brain damage and would recover before languages which have been acquired subsequently”(Vaid & Genesee, 1980, p.420) Pitres’s Law Pitres believed that the language(s) that were used the most preceding the cerebral insult before the brain damage occurred would recover first.
- 24. Language is a lot more than words…
- 25. Critical Period Is there a Critical Period to “learn” a first language? Feral child/wild child Noam Chomsky: acquisition/learning (language is acquired, not taught or learned) Eric Lenneberg: puberty as limit for language acquisition Researchers have quite different opinions on the age for the critical period The Forbidden Experiment Is there a critical period for second language acquisition?