Psycholinguistics

Psycholinguistics is concerned with language as a phenomenon of individual explaining how he acquires language, explains his understanding & comprehension & communication with others.

Language areas in Brain

Broca and Wernicke

• The language parts of the brain are named after two 19th century physicians, Paul Broca and Carl Wernicke.Broca’s area is located in the left frontal lobe and is considered responsible for articulated language.Wernicke’s area is located in the left temporal lobe and is considered accountable for comprehension of sounds and words.

• Motor cortex is an area that generally controls movement of the muscles (for moving hands, feet, arms, etc.). Close to Broca’s area is the part of the motor cortex that controls the articulatory muscles of the face, jaw, tongue and larynx. Evidence that this area is involved in the physical articulation of speech.

Arcuate Faciculus

• A white matter tract that connects Broca‟s Area and Wernicke‟s Area through the Temporal, Parietal and Frontal Lobes. Allows for coordinated, comprehensible speech.

Aphasia

• Aphasia is one kind of language disorder that results from damage to the parts of the brain that contain language. Aphasia causes problems in the ability to perceive, process, or produce language.

• Aphasia is caused by damage to one or more of the language areas of the brain.

• Damage to the left side of the brain causes aphasia for most right-handers and about half of left-handers.