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Related Concept Videos

Language and Cognition01:27

Language and Cognition

Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
Lateralization01:28

Lateralization

Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language01:10

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Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
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Cerebral Hemispheres01:05

Cerebral Hemispheres

The human brain, a complex organ, is functionally divided into two cerebral hemispheres—left and right. These hemispheres are interconnected by a structure of paramount importance, the corpus callosum. This substantial bundle of neural fibers is not just a bridge between the hemispheres but a crucial element for the brain's comprehensive functioning. It enables efficient communication between the two hemispheres, allowing each side of the brain to control and receive sensory and motor...
Components of Language01:24

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Language, whether spoken, signed, or written, consists of specific components: lexicon and grammar. The lexicon is the vocabulary of a language, comprising its words. Grammar is the set of rules used to convey meaning through the lexicon. For example, English grammar adds “-ed” to most verbs to indicate past tense. Words are formed by combining phonemes, which are the basic sound units of a language. Different languages have different sets of phonemes (e.g., “ah” vs. “eh”). Phonemes combine to...
Language Development01:22

Language Development

Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Examining Bilingual Language Control Using the Stroop Task
05:31

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Published on: February 26, 2020

Brain-structural differences underlying dialect competence in the bilingual network.

Mathias Scharinger1,2,3, Jürgen E Schmidt4, Jens Sommer5,6

  • 1Research Group Phonetics, Institute of German Linguistics, Marburg University, Marburg, Germany. mathias.scharinger@uni-marburg.de.

Scientific Reports
|July 1, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Bidialectal speakers, those fluent in a standard language and a dialect, show distinct brain structures compared to monolinguals. These differences in gray matter volume and cortical thickness suggest dialect competence shapes the brain similarly to bilingualism.

Keywords:
BilingualismCortical thicknessDialect competenceGray matter volumeStructural imaging

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Linguistics
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • Bilingualism is linked to brain structural differences.
  • Little is known about brain structure in bidialectals (speakers of a standard language and a dialect).
  • Bidialectals offer a unique comparison group by minimizing cultural differences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if bidialectals exhibit brain structural differences compared to non-bidialectals.
  • To explore the relationship between dialect competence and brain structure.
  • To compare the effects of bidialectalism with those of bilingualism on brain structure.

Main Methods:

  • Compared brain structural measures (gray matter volume and cortical thickness) between a competent dialect group (N=26) and a non-dialect group (N=23).
  • Utilized a large German dialect corpus for participant selection.
  • Analyzed whole-brain differences and covariation of structure with dialect competence.

Main Results:

  • Found significant whole-brain differences in cortical thickness (right orbitofrontal cortex) and gray matter volume (bilateral middle temporal gyrus, bilateral insula) between groups.
  • Observed that cortical thickness in the right fusiform cortex and gray matter volume in the bilateral middle temporal gyrus and right insula covaried differently with dialect competence.
  • These structural variations suggest a link between dialect proficiency and specific brain regions.

Conclusions:

  • Dialect competence is associated with distinct brain structural patterns.
  • These findings suggest that acquiring and using dialects may influence brain structure similarly to bilingualism.
  • The study highlights the neuroplasticity associated with linguistic diversity beyond standard bilingualism.