Synergy, Neuroanatomy, Hemispheres

Michael L. Johnson
Additional contact information
Michael L. Johnson: University of Kansas

Chapter 9 in Mind, Language, Machine, 1988, pp 47-51 from Palgrave Macmillan

Abstract: Abstract If there was some such dialectic of cultural and biological factors in the evolution of human language (one that is still ontogenetically recapitulated), the latter factors involved a synergy accounting for Bronowski’s ‘biological frame’ for language. It is certain that human language was made possible biologically not by any single genetic mutation but by a complex of mutations phenotypically realized and selected for over a (relatively) brief period. Together comprising a threshold event, they gave rise to the neuroanatomy of language and tuned the grosser structures of acoustic communication. The oral and aural structures, delicate and impressive as they are, are fairly obvious in their workings, and recent speech-synthesis programs demonstrate that the electronic production of speech, complete with a wide range of nuances, will soon be possible (though speech-recognition programs remain problematic — this situation contrasts with that of simulation programs that deal with semantically conditioned syntax, for there recognition presents fewer problems than production). The engaging subject is thus the neuroanatomy.

Keywords: Left Hemisphere; Human Language; Acoustic Communication; Arcuate Fasciculus; Speech Area (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1988
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pal:palchp:978-1-349-19404-9_9

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.palgrave.com/9781349194049

DOI: 10.1007/978-1-349-19404-9_9

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Palgrave Macmillan Books from Palgrave Macmillan
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().