Chapter 8 Language and Thought

Chapter 8 Language and Thought (Psycholinguistics)

I. Decide whether each of the following statements is True or False:

1. The linguistic ability of human beings depends primarily on the structure of the vocal cords.

2. Human beings are the only organisms in which one particular part of the left half of the brain is

larger than the corresponding part of the right half.

3. The case of Phineas Gage suggests that if our language ability is located in the brain, it is clear

that it is not situated right at the front.

4. In general, the right side of the brain controls voluntary movements of, and responds to signals

from,

the

left

side

of

the

body,

whereas

the

left

side

controls

voluntary

movements

of,

and

responds to signals from, the right side of the body.

5. Language functions are believed to be lateralized primarily in the left hemisphere of the brain.

6. The language we speak determines the way we perceive the world and therefore the nature of

thought.

7. Human beings can not think without language, just as they can not speak without thinking.

8. If a language lacks a word, its speakers will not be able to grasp its concept.

9. Generally speaking, left hemisphere is responsible for language and speech, analytic reasoning,

associative thought, etc., while the right hemisphere is responsible for perception of nonlinguistic

sounds, holistic reasoning, recognition of musical melodies, etc.

10.

Language

by

no

means

determines

the

ways

we

perceive

the

objective

world,

but

by

its

convenience, availability, and habitual use, does influence the perceptions of human being.

II. Fill in each of the blanks below with one word which begins with the letter given:

11. P____________ is the study of language in relation to the mind.

12.

The

most

important

part

of

the

brain

is

the

outside

surface

of

the

brain,

called

the

cerebral

c_______________, which is the decision-making organ of the body.

13. The brain is divided into two roughly symmetrical halves, called h____________, one on the

right and one on the left.

14. The localization of cognitive and perceptual functions in a particular side of the brain is called

l________________.

15. Brain lateralization is g________________ programmed, but takes time to develop.

16.

In

addition

to

the

m_____________

area

which

is

responsible

for

physical

articulation

of

utterances,

three

areas

of

the

left

hemisphere

are

vital

to

language,

namely,

Broca’s

area,

Wernicke’s area and the angular gyrus.

17. The relationship between the name and the meaning of a word is quite a______________.

18.

When

language

and

thought

are

identical

or

closely

parallel

to

each

other,

we

may

regard

thought as s___________ speech and speech as o_____________ thought.

19. Because languages differ in many ways, Whorf believed that speakers of different languages

perceive and experience the world differently, relative to their linguistic background. This notion

is called linguistic r_____________.

20. The basic essentials of the first language are acquired in the short period from about age two to

puberty, which is called the c__________ period for first language acquisition.

21. The strong version of Sapir-Whorf hypothesis has two aspects: linguistic d_____________ and

linguistic relativism.

III. There are four choices following each statement. Mark the choice that can best complete

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the statement:

22. Human linguistic ability largely depends on the structure and dynamics of _________.

A. human brain B. human vocal cords C. human memory D. human

23.

Psychologists,

neurologists

and

linguists

have

concluded

that,

in

addition

to

the

motor

area

which is responsible for physical articulation of utterances, three areas of the left brain are vital to

language, namely, _______.

A. Broca’s area, Wernicke’s area and the angular gyrus

B. Broca’s area, Wernicke’s area and cerebral cortex

C. Broca’s area, Wernicke’s area and neurons

D. Broca’s area, Wernicke’s area and Exner’s area

24.

The

____

age

for

the

acquisition

of

the

first

language

coincides

with

the

period

of

brain

lateralization.

A. youngest B. flexible C. optimum D. relevant

25. Linguistic ____ is the brain’s neurological specialization for lan

-guage.

A. fossilization B. performance C. competence D. lateralization

26. Our linguistic ability is a ________ gift of the species’ gene program.

A. chemical B. physical C. scientific D. biological

27.

________shows

that

if

our

language

ability

is

located

in

the

brain,

it

is

clear

that

it

is

not

situated right at the front of the brain.

case of Genie B. The case of Phineas Gage

C. The componential analysis D. The contrastive analysis

28. The most important part of the brain is the outside surface of the brain, called _________.

A. the neurons B. nerve pathways C. cerebral cortex d. sensory organs

29. According to lateralization theory, which of the following is not the primary function of the

left hemisphere of the brain?

A. analytic reasoning B. temporal ordering C. associative thought and spatial skills

30. _______ is commonly held to be an evolutionary precondition of the development of superior

intelligence as well as a precondition of language acquisition.

A. Lateralization B. Maturation C. Brain separation D. Memory capacity

31. The dichotic listening research shows that the left hemisphere is not superior for processing all

sounds, but only for those that are ________ in nature.

A. non-linguistic B. musical C. linguistic D. natural

32. _______ is responsible for physical articulation of utterances.

A. The motor area B. Broca’s area C. Wernicke’s area D. The angular gyrus

33. Language disorder resulting from a damage to _________ in the brain reveals word- finding

difficulties and problems with syntax.

A. the motor area B. Broca’s area C. Wernicke’s area D. the angular gyrus

34. In 1874, the young German physician Carl Wernicke published his discovery in a paper which

contributed to the hypothesis that __________.

A. there was only one language area in the left brain B. there was no language area in the left brain

C. there was one language area in the right brain D. there was more than one language area in the

left brain.

35. __________ is the language center primarily responsible for converting a visual stimulus into

an auditory form and vice versa.

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