Scans Show The Brain Treats Sign Language Like Speech

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

then sometimes I wonder why some people worry about the brain switch so much? What their reasons behind it.

Because most of those people learned a second language much, much later in life and are not used to switching between two languages... but if they couldn't do that, they're not really fully fluent anyway.

 

[faire_jour]

then sometimes I wonder why some people worry about the brain switch so much? What their reasons behind it.

I think it is the "pathways" thing. If you don't strengthen the auditory pathways they atrophy and visual takes over. So, there is a tiny bit of truth in it,

 

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

I think it is the "pathways" thing. If you don't strengthen the auditory pathways they atrophy and visual takes over. So, there is a tiny bit of truth in it,

Nah, I hear the same arguments from rural folks who don't want to teach their kids French; I think it gotta do with the bias that a lot of adults find learning a second language difficult.

 

[CJB]

Both spoken and signed languages use the part of the brain in charge of language though, that is, the Broca's and Wernicke's area. Those are the areas Emmorey is probably referring to when she says "the speech production part of the brain."

SAN DIEGO — A San Diego State University linguist says spoken language and sign language use the brain in very much the same way.

Professor Karen Emmorey used PET scans to see how the brains of deaf people functioned during the use of sign language. She found that the "speech production" part of the brain was as active in people signing as in people speaking. She said this was true even when deaf people used signs that appeared to be pantomime, like the sign for the verb "drink."

"So even signs may look like panomimes, those signs are treated by the brain just the same as signs that don't have the pantomimic quality," said Emmorey.

Basically more evidence that signed languages require the same linguistic facilities as spoken languages, no matter how transparent the signs.

 

[netrox]

Well, here's the thing - the brain process languages the same way regardless of HOW they receive it - sounds, signs, or touch. Scans do NOT reveal the complexity of languages. I'll bet you that they would find the SAME results in indigenous groups who speak languages that don't have the complexity of English.

 

[dogmom]

but wait, why assume "indigenous groups" languages "don't have the complexity of English"?

 

[CJB]

but wait, why assume "indigenous groups" languages "don't have the complexity of English"?

Many indigenous languages have complexities that are completely different from most major languages. For example Quechua encodes how sure the speaker is of the statement (firsthand knowledge, hearsay, etc.) with particles like -mi and -si whereas English has nothing of that sort, but instead requires entire phrases like "I'm pretty sure that..." or "I know for a fact that..."

 

[dogmom]

that is very intriguing CJB! I have heard of the Quechua language but know nothing about it.
yes, I was thinking that the complexities are there, but they are different than English or other major languages, or possibly languages that come from certain "family" groups.