Language Flashcards
Language
A system of human communication that is fundamental to the creation of communities
Phonology
The actual sounds of a language
Phonemes
Speech sound units in a language
Categorical perception
The ability to recognize when a small change in sound alters the meaning of what is being pronounced
Morphology
The structure of the words of the language
Morphemes
Building blocks of words
Semantics
The association of meaning with words
Syntax
The rules of putting words together to form sentences
Pragmatics
The dependence of a language on context and preexisting knowledge
Prosody
The rhythm, cadence, and influence of our voices
The dominant hemisphere for language
The left hemisphere (90% of people)
Broca’s Area
An area of the brain in the frontal lobe that controls the motor function of speech; it is connected to the motor cortex
Wernicke’s Area
An area of the brain in the temporal love that controls the comprehension of language
Arcuate fasciculus
A bundle of axons that connect Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area and allow appropriate association between language comprehension and speech production
Aphasia
A disorder in language usage (general)