Neurolinguistics

Question 1

Today we know that there is a high correlation between right-handedness and left-brain dominance. T or F.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Name the type of aphasia. Speech output is hesitant, labored, and lacks fluency.

Answer 2

Broca’s aphasia

Question 3

Name the type of aphasia. Speech is fluent but has problems with comprehension.

Answer 3

Wernicke’s aphasia

Question 4

Name the type of aphasia. Cannot repeat utterances.

Answer 4

Conduction aphasia.

Question 5

“Hemispherical specialization” means

Answer 5

some abilities are processed in the right hemisphere of the brain, and others are processed in the left.

Question 6

What is one of the functions of the primary auditory cortex of the brain?

Answer 6

To categorize different auditory stimuli and send them off to various parts of the brain to be interpreted.

Question 7

A right ear advantage for linguistic sounds during a dichotic listening test would indicate

Answer 7

left hemisphere dominance for language.

Question 8

The “split brain” tests conducted by Sperry proved that both hemispheres of the brain are able to process language equally.
T or F.

Answer 8

False.

Question 9

What are the 9 design features of Language?

Answer 9

1. mode of communication
2. semanticity
3. pragmatic function
4. interchangeability
5. cultural transmission
6. arbitrariness
7. discreteness
8. displacement
9. productivity

Question 10

mode of communication

Answer 10

language is to transmit messages

Question 11

semanticity

Answer 11

all signals in a communication system have a meaning or function

Question 12

pragmatic function

Answer 12

language must serve some useful purpose

Question 13

interchangeability

Answer 13

language has the ability to both transmit and receive messages

Question 14

cultural transmission

Answer 14

genetic or hereditary background in and of itself has no influence whatsoever on the language we acquire as children; though some aspects are innate, some aspects can only be acquired through interaction

Question 15

arbitrariness

Answer 15

in language, a word’s meaning is not predictable from its linguistic form, nor its form dictated by its meaning
in language, a word’s meaning is not predictable from its linguistic form, nor its form dictated by its meaning

Question 16

discreteness

Answer 16

property of communication systems by which complex messages may be built up out of smaller parts

Question 17

the property of some communication systems that allows them to be used to communicate about things, actions, ideas that are not present at the place or time where communication is taking place

Answer 17

displacement

Question 18

the capacity of a communication system (unique to human language) for novel messages built out of discrete units to be produced and understood

Answer 18

productivity

Question 19

What is the Critical Period Hypothesis?

Answer 19

Proposed that there is a biologically controlled ideal period for young children to adopt language skills, after which (thought to be at around puberty, alongside brain lateralization) full command of language could never be attained.

Question 20

Describe evidence of a critical period in second lanuage learning.

Answer 20

Evidence is shaky, and seems to in general conclude that there is very little critical period but a gradual decline in ability to learn a second language as people age.

Question 21

in L2 learning, what systems come easier with youth? Which don’t seem to change with age?

Answer 21

Phonology, Semantics