Language I

Question 1

3 characteristics of language

Answer 1

system of rules 
   \+
finite set of elements 
   =
infinite number of utterances

Question 2

3 methods of studying language

Answer 2

• speech errors
• experimental tasks
• neurophysiological data
• neuroimaging data

Question 3

Language building blocks?

Answer 3

• words
• phonemes (smallest units of sound)
• morphemes (smallest unit of meaning; dog, -s)
• syllables
• stress

-etc

Question 4

Where are syllables and stress represented

Answer 4

In the mental lexicon.

Three pieces of evidence:

a) expletives can only be inserted into words with an appropriate stress pattern
b) stress can alter the meaning of a word
c) some brain-damages patients show selective stress errors

Question 5

what is in the mental lexicon

Answer 5

phonemes, morphemes words, concepts,

not sentences because there are an infinite number

Question 6

Broca/Wernicke patients

Answer 6

Broca

• patient with lesion in left nferior frontal lobe
• impaired speech production
• backed by fMRI

Wernicke:

• patients with lesions in left posterior temporal lobe
• impaired speech comprehension

Question 7

Broca/Wernicke fMRI

Answer 7

reveals more complicated picture for whole system

-superior, middle and
inferior temporal gyri in both
hemispheres
-White
matter tracts, especially arcuate fasciculus and the extreme capsule also play a major role.
-network depends on task