Pragmatics & Language and The Brain - Chapter 8

Question 1

Pragmatics

Answer 1

• Non-linguistic aspects of language
  
  • How context contributes to meaning
  • Prior knowledge, environment, tone of voice, gestures
• Informal rules of language
  
  • Social assumptions

Question 2

Language in the Brain

Answer 2

• Wernicke-Geschwind Model of Language
• Aphasias:
  
  • Disorders of language (not thought) caused by damage to the brain structures that support
    using and understanding
    language
  • Broca’s aphasia (Frontal lobe)
  • Wernicke’s aphasia (Occipital lobe)

Question 3

Problems with the Wernicke-Geschwind Model

Answer 3

• Brain damage rarely isolated to region of theoretical interest
• Isolated damage to Broca’s
  and Wernicke’s areas rarely
  produces lasting deficits
• Language functions more
  distributed; aphasias associated with widespread damage
• Localization vs circuits