As a child is growing, different parts of his brain specialize in different language-related functions. Thus, the left hemisphere typically begins to process most aspects of linguistic function while the right hemisphere specializes in other functions such as understanding humor and sarcasm. Reading and writing as well as sign languages are processed mainly in the same brain areas as the spoken language, according to a study published in the journal "Scientific American" in June 2001.
Understanding Language
A crucial part of linguistic functions is understanding language. In right-handed people, this is a task of the Wernicke's area, located in the left temporal cortex. Left-handed people can process language understanding in either the left or right temporal cortex.
A lesion in the Wernicke's area of the brain has been shown to cause so called fluent aphasia, or inability to understand language. The left hemisphere, however, is not the only processing language. Language components such as sarcasm, metaphors and humor are processed in the right hemisphere.
Producing Language
In right-handed people, language production is a job of a Broca's area, located in the left frontal lobe. Left-handed people can produce language either in the right or left frontal lobe. A lesion in the Broca's area can cause a non-fluent aphasia in which the speech of the person is understandable, but it takes a long time for the patient to produce sentences. Moreover, the person frequently leaves out all but the most important words, so that the language resembles telegraphs.
Sex Differences
By studying brain-injured people, scientists have discovered that men and women process language quite differently. According to Kenji Kansaku Ph.D. and colleagues, men seem to show more left-hemisphere dominance, whereas women tend to process language more equally between the left and right hemispheres. After a left hemisphere lesion, more men than woman suffer from aphasia, according to the study which was published in the journal "Cerebral Cortex" in September 2000.
References
- "Scientific American Journal": How Does the Human Brain Process Language?
- "Cerebral Cortex Journal": Sex Differences in Lateralization Revealed in the Posterior Language Areas
- "Archives of Neurology Journal": Language-Associated Cortical Regions Are Proportionally Larger in the Female Brain
- New World Encyclopedia: Paul Broca
- Fu Jen Catholic University Graduate Institute of Linguistics: Wernicke
