Do you think language is stored in our memory area or a special area?

China
June 17, 2010 9:49pm CST
I am a chinese and I am an english major in a university in China. I wonder if language is stored in the memory area in our brain. I used to feel sure that language is stored in the memory area because all my teachers belief this and almost all the students in China learn english through memorizing. One day I happen to think about amnesic patients who can still speak fluently, so I started to doubt the universal belief that language is stored in our memory area. What do you think about this?
1 person likes this
4 responses
• United States
18 Jun 10
I have taken two psychology classes during high school and I learned that laguage takes up different parts of the brain all of are in the memory part. The amnesic patients probably are only effected in certain parts of the brain, so sometimes the speech area is effected and sometimes it isnt. Also the brain is plastic, which is a term used in psychology which means the brain can heal itself over time, so the patient has amnesia in the speech area of the memory was but they can still speak because another area of the brain has taken control over the speech area of the brain. All in all language is stored in the memory its just there are several different parts of memory that memorize things like smell, touch, sounds and vision which all communicate with each other to make a complete memory.
• China
18 Jun 10
wow,thank you for your informative answer and I learn a lot from it. Thank you very much for your sharing.
• United States
18 Jun 10
Your welcome Susan, glad to have helped you.
• Philippines
18 Jun 10
The part of the brain responsible for speech and language comprehension is the Broca's area. Patient's having amnesia can still speak his native tongue because the Broca's area is still intact and not damaged. The other part of the brain that is responsible for understanding written and spoken language is the wernicke's area. So, If a person had amnesia, there are chances that he could still speak because those two areas might be still intact or undamaged.
• China
18 Jun 10
thank you so much for your informative message, I learn a lot from it.
@Cutie18f (9546)
• Philippines
18 Jun 10
Language is acquired through time and also it is learned. The best way to know a language is by immersing one's self in the language and not memorizing anything. Language is a communication tool, therefore it should be best when spontaneous and not memorized. Robots probably would have language programmed in its system, but we are not robots and we can never predict events and circumstances.
• China
18 Jun 10
Yes,I agree with you very much. That is why babies learn a new language very fast. Babies learn a language through listenning, establishing the language pattern in their brains. After the langauage pattern is "written" in their brain, they acquire the language automatically. While in China, people learn through memorizing, so in most cases, Chinese people learn english for 6 to 10 years but still unable to express themselves clearly in English.
@qianyun6 (2066)
• China
18 Jun 10
Hello, Susanayako1988! Some books told me biologists says there are regions in our brain related on speaking, writing, listening and reading, but another region dominates memories. So maybe words and sentences are stored in our memory area, but obviously we can't learn languages only by memory.
• China
18 Jun 10
yes, i agree with your opinion. Thanks for sharing your ideas.