Abstract
Above and beyond the critical contributions of left perisylvian regions to language, the neural networks supporting pragmatic aspects of verbal communication in native and non-native languages (L1s and L2, respectively) have often been ascribed to the right hemisphere (RH). However, several reports have shown that left-hemisphere activity associated with pragmatic domains (e.g., prosody, indirect speech, figurative language) is comparable to or even greater than that observed in the RH, challenging the proposed putative role of the latter for relevant domains. Against this background, we report on an adult bilingual patient showing preservation of pragmatic verbal skills in both languages (L1: Spanish, L2: English) despite bilateral damage mainly focused on the RH. After two strokes, the patient sustained lesions in several regions previously implicated in pragmatic functions (vast portions of the right fronto-insulo-temporal cortices, the bilateral amygdalae and insular cortices, and the left putamen). Yet, comparison of linguistic and pragmatic skills with matched controls revealed spared performance on multiple relevant tasks in both her L1 and L2. Despite mild difficulties in some aspects of L2 prosody, she showed no deficits in comprehending metaphors and idioms, or understanding indirect speech acts in either language. Basic verbal skills were also preserved in both languages, including verbal auditory discrimination, repetition of words and pseudo-words, cognate processing, grammaticality judgments, equivalent recognition, and word and sentence translation. Taken together, the evidence shows that multiple functions of verbal communication can be widely spared despite extensive damage to the RH, and that claims for a putative relation between pragmatics and the RH may have been overemphasized in the monolingual and bilingual literature. We further discuss the case in light of previous reports of pragmatic and linguistic deficits following brain lesions and address its relation to cognitive compensation in bilingual patients.
Highlights
In addition to central linguistic functions, verbal communication in both native and non-native languages (L1s and L2s, respectively) is crucially rooted in pragmatic domains
The processes involved draw on prosodic features, which are critical to resolve semantic ambiguities and guide the listener’s interpretation (Grice, 1975; Searle, 1979; Ortony, 1993; Gibbs, 1994; Wilson and Wharton, 2006). These and other pragmatic abilities have been proposed to rely predominantly on the right hemisphere (RH) (Joanette et al, 1990; McDonald, 1999), a claim that has been explicitly postulated in models of bilingual processing (Paradis, 2009)
While such a position aligns with reports of impaired verbal pragmatics following RH lesions (Bryan, 1989; Kaplan et al, 1990; Lindell, 2006; Champagne-Lavau and Joanette, 2009), it is challenged by other strands of evidence
Summary
In addition to central linguistic functions (phonology, lexical semantics, and syntax), verbal communication in both native and non-native languages (L1s and L2s, respectively) is crucially rooted in pragmatic domains The latter comprise diverse abilities that allow people to exchange meanings beyond the literal form of an utterance (Searle et al, 1980; Tompkins, 1995; Sperber and Wilson, 2005; Stemmer, 2008) and to evaluate whether a piece of discourse is meant as a question, an indirect request, or a figurative construction (Levinson, 1983), among others. The same is true of prosodic skills: while some studies have emphasized the role of the RH in both linguistic (Weintraub et al, 1981; Brådvik et al, 1991) and emotional (Blonder et al, 1991; Starkstein et al, 1994; Ross and Monnot, 2008) dimensions, others have linked such domains predominantly to the LH (Van Lancker, 1980; Emmorey, 1987; Brådvik et al, 1991; Baum et al, 1997; Gandour et al, 2004)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
