Language Areas and Second Language Acquisition

Language Areas in the Brain

  • Motor Cortex

    • Controls muscle movement, including articulatory muscles (face, jaw, tongue, larynx).
    • Related to physical articulation of speech.
    • Penfield and Roberts (1959) discovered interference in speech production through electrical stimulation of specific brain areas.

  • Arcuate Fasciculus

    • A bundle of nerve fibers connecting Wernicke's area and Broca's area.
    • Crucial for language processing, allowing the transfer of signals necessary for spoken language generation.

The Localization View

  • Proposes that specific language abilities correspond to specific brain locations.
    • Hearing a word: processed in Wernicke's area.
    • Understanding and preparing to speak: involves the arcuate fasciculus and Broca's area.
    • Motor cortex is then activated for physical articulation.
  • Critique: Oversimplified and metaphorical, as our understanding of brain functions continues to evolve.

Tongue Tips and Slips

  • Tip of the Tongue Phenomenon

    • A momentary inability to retrieve a known word.
    • Often occurs with less common words; indicates organization in word storage based on phonological information.

  • Malapropisms

    • Errors that produce similar-sounding but incorrect words (e.g., "fire distinguisher" instead of "extinguisher").

  • Slips of the Tongue

    • Errors during speech that reveal linguistic processing difficulties.
    • Examples:
    • Perseveration: carryover errors, e.g., "my favorite fong" (for song).
    • Anticipation: using sounds early, e.g., "noman numeral" (for roman numeral).
    • Exchange: swapping sounds, e.g., "beel fetter" (for feel better).

  • Slips of the Ear

    • Mishearing words leading to humorous misunderstandings, e.g., "great ape" (for "gray tape").

Aphasia

  • Defined as impairment of language function from brain damage, often through stroke or trauma.
    • Broca's Aphasia (Expressive Aphasia)
    • Characterized by reduced, agrammatic, effortful speech.
    • Example: "I eggs and eat and drink coffee breakfast."
    • Better comprehension than production.
    • Wernicke's Aphasia (Receptive Aphasia)
    • Fluent but nonsensical speech; difficulty in comprehension.
    • Use of circumlocution to convey meaning, e.g., describing an item instead of naming it.
    • Conduction Aphasia
    • Damage to the arcuate fasciculus; fluent speech with comprehension issues; trouble repeating phrases.

Dichotic Listening

  • An experimental method to demonstrate left-hemisphere dominance for language.
    • Right ear advantage for verbal sounds, linked to direct processing in the left hemisphere.

Critical Period for Language Acquisition

  • The time frame when the brain is optimally receptive to language learning (birth to puberty).
    • Genie Case Study: A girl who missed this critical period but still demonstrated some language-learning ability using right hemisphere features.

Second Language Acquisition/Learning

  • Difference between Acquisition and Learning:

    • Acquisition: natural, intuitive learning through communication (e.g., children).
    • Learning: formal instruction focusing on rules and structures (e.g., in school).

  • Barriers include age, anxiety, and inadequate interaction opportunities.

    • Adults typically struggle to replicate L1 fluency and pronunciation in L2.

  • Motivation in Learning:

    • Instrumental vs. integrative motivations impact success.

Teaching Methods

  • Grammar-Translation Method: Focuses on rules, vocabulary, and written forms.
  • Audiolingual Approach: Emphasizes oral repetition and structure; often criticized for lack of real interaction.
  • Communicative Approaches: Focus on using language in social contexts, supporting interaction-driven learning.

Communicative Competence

  • Consists of:
    • Grammatical Competence: Correct use of language forms.
    • Sociolinguistic Competence: Appropriate language use in social contexts.
    • Strategic Competence: Ability to use strategies to compensate for limitations in language proficiency.

Input and Output

  • Importance of comprehensible input in learning; structured input that makes understanding easier is essential.
  • Engaging in communicative tasks enhances fluency and encourages natural language use.