Cerebral lateralization of human languages clinical and experimental data
pp. 195-224
in: Jan Wind, Brunetto Chiarelli, Bernard Bichakjian, Alberto Nocentini, Abraham Jonker (eds), Language origin, Berlin, Springer, 1992Abstract
In most human beings linguistic fumctions tend to be lateralized in the left cerebral hemisphere. Several experimental data showed that bilingual and polyglot subjects have a more symmetric language representation in both hemispheres. This paper presents a series of experimental studies which have been carried out with various neuropsychological techniques (dichotic listening, verbal-manual and musical-manual interference paradigms, as well as tachistoscopic presentation) in order to investigate possible functional modifications of cerebral organization patterns that follow intensive language or music acquisition processes, or that are due to particular states of consciousness. The results suggest that the acquisition of a second language as well as of musical skills implies a reorganization of linguistic and musical functions in the brain. Similarly, a variation of the states of consciousness is related to a new asset of cerebral representation of linguistic functions.Moreover, the role of biological and neurological factors in generating and maintaining a great number of different human languages is discussed. When dealing with the "origin of human language" the question of the existence of diversified languages in place of one single universal language should be also raised.