英语语言学课件Chapter 15 Language and the Brain.ppt

Chapter 15 Language and the Brain Neurolinguistics The study of the relationship between language and the brain The case of Phineas Gage: a huge metal rod had gone through the front part of Mr. Gage’s brain, his language abilities were unaffected Parts of the Brain Two nearly symmetrical halves, the right and left hemispheres Corpus callosum: a bundle of nerve fibers, connecting the two hemispheres cortex: supports higher brain functions, including language ; thin, folded sheet on surface of brain Broca’s area: responsible for speech production (close to motor areas) Parts of the Brain Wernickes Area: responsible for speech comprehension (close to auditory areas) The motor cortex: controls the movement of the muscles for articulation The arcuate fasciculus: a bundle of nerve fibers connecting Broca’s area and Wernickes Area The localization view Specific aspects of language ability can be accorded specific locations in the brain Other views - ‘pathway’ metaphor -Freud’s ‘steam engine’ metaphor -Aristotle ‘cold sponge’ metaphor Tongue tips and slips Tip-of –the tongue: you know the word, but it just won’t come to the surface Slip-of-the tongue: results in tangled expressions Slip-of-the ear: errors in hearing Aphasia An impairment of language function due to localized cerebral damage which leads to difficulty in understanding and/ or producing linguistic forms Brocas Aphasia Identified 1861 by Paul Broca, a Parisian neurologist Also called ‘motor aphasia’ Characterized by a substantially reduced amount of speech, distorted articulation and slow, often effortful speech Aphasia - Wernicke’s aphasia -Identified 1873 by Carl Wernicke, eminent German neurologist -Results in difficulties in auditory comprehension -also called ‘sensory aphasia’ Aphasia Conduction aphasia: damage to the arcuate fasciculus No articulation problems Fluent, but may have disrupted rhythm because of pauses and hesitation What is heard and understood cannot be transferred to the speech