On Mon, 13 Sep 1999, Jeff Ricker wrote:
> My Dear, Dear, Wonderful TIPSters,
>
> The salutation was intended to disarm you with excessive politeness in
> order to avoid any negative interactions: my, but TIPS has been a
> battleground lately! Believe me, I will be very careful with how I word
> this.
>
> A student in one of my courses stated that, after her grandmother's
> stroke, she lost the ability to speak her second language (English), but
> was still able to speak her native language (French). This, I know, is
> not uncommon. What interested me in this case was that my student stated
> that the LEFT side of her grandmother's body was paralyzed
> (right-hemisphere stroke) and that her grandmother was right-handed
> (language functions associated predominantly with activity in the left
> hemisphere in over 95% of right-handers).
>
> My question:
> Is there any evidence that a second language (in this case, learned
> during adulthood) may be associated with activity in the right
> hemisphere when the native language is associated with activity in the
> left hemisphere?
>
> I should add that, upon questioning, this student became uncertain about
> her memory of the side of the body that was paralyzed in her
> grandmother. But I thought I would ask the question anyway.
>
> Jeff
Some languages also seem to utilize right hemispheric function,for
examples your Asian languages,Japanese and Arabic.
Have to do with the sing-song aspect of the language and its emotive
quality. Actually English may be one of the dullest languages-in terms
of intonation and emotive load. Hailing from the Caribbean Island
of St.Lucia,I also speak a French Creole and believe me,it is one of those
languages that has no written form. I speak it and tone and emotive
mode are very important.It may be that French has certain characteristics
of that nature.
But I will leave this to the Psycholinguists.
Michael Sylvester
Daytona 'the Floyd' Beach
