UCLA LING 1 EXAM 1 CORE FOUNDATIONS OF
LINGUISTIC THEORY AND ANALYSIS REVIEW
2026
◉ Split Brain Patients.
Answer: In severe cases of epilepsy, the corpus callosum is
sometimes severed
As a result, the two hemispheres can not share information
Linguistic responses are not possible if stimulus was presented to
the right hemisphere (left visual field).
◉ Wada Tests.
Answer: One hemisphere of a patient's brain is temporarily put to
sleep.
Patient then asked to read words &/or numbers, identify objects, &
respond to questions.
Result? An inability to produce language when left side is
anesthetized.
◉ aphasia.
Answer: a disruption in language abilities (production and/or
comprehension) due to brain injury
,◉ Tan's Brain.
Answer: Patient named Louis Victor Lebourgne, but nicknamed
'Tan'.
His utterances were limited to a single syllable, "tan", usually twice.
Couldn't produce language.
1861: Paul Broca examined Tan's Brain (post-mortem).
Came to the conclusion that the loss of language ability was linked to
the local damage in "Broca's area".
◉ Broca's aphasia.
Answer: Speech is broken and halted (telegraphic speech)
Words make some sense, but the structure is incorrect
a.k.a. agrammatic aphasia
Comprehension in Broca's aphasics is mostly in tact, but there are
problems with complex sentences
Lesions found in particular part of the LH
(frontal lobe)
Semantics (meaning): Okay
Syntax (structure): Not okay
Comprehension: Mostly OK
Writing: Few words, but they do make sense.
,◉ wernicke's aphasia.
Answer: speech is fluent, but doesn't make much sense
•grammar usually not affected
•problem w/ word choice and meaning •Neologisms-newly created
words •comprehension severely impaired
•a.k.a. semantic aphasia
Semantics (meaning): NOT okay
• Syntax (structure): okay
• Comprehension: NOT okay
Writing: Many words, but they do not make sense.
◉ Anomia.
Answer: Another kind of aphasia
Patients have difficulty finding words during speech and when asked
to name things, but can describe exactly what an object is for
No problem with comprehension or repetition of words
Can be very specific (plants/animals, food words, peoples names,
etc)
Anomia is difficult to localize.
Often associated with damage to the angular gyrus
, ◉ What can we learn from aphasiology?.
Answer: Language function isn't housed in a simple 'box' in the brain
Discreet areas control different aspects of language: one area of
language use may be compromised while another is fine.
◉ Specific Language Impairment (SLI).
Answer: • affects about 7-8% of kindergarten age children.
• Very specific types of difficulty with language: children with SLI
often omit "function" or grammatical words like 'of, the, is,' etc.
(Meowmeow chase mice. Show me knife.)
• Children have normal IQ and normal ability in all other areas,
including speech comprehension and hearing.
• It is only linguistic ability and often only specific aspects of their
grammar that are impaired.
Areas of difficulty: Function words (he like me? vs does he like me?),
tense/person marking on verbs, plural marking on nouns
Good IQ but not good lang ability
◉ Williams Syndrome.
Answer: Overall IQ: 40-90, Average IQ: 55
• Limited spatial and motor skills (may not be able to tie shoes or cut
with a knife)
• Extremely social and friendly
LINGUISTIC THEORY AND ANALYSIS REVIEW
2026
◉ Split Brain Patients.
Answer: In severe cases of epilepsy, the corpus callosum is
sometimes severed
As a result, the two hemispheres can not share information
Linguistic responses are not possible if stimulus was presented to
the right hemisphere (left visual field).
◉ Wada Tests.
Answer: One hemisphere of a patient's brain is temporarily put to
sleep.
Patient then asked to read words &/or numbers, identify objects, &
respond to questions.
Result? An inability to produce language when left side is
anesthetized.
◉ aphasia.
Answer: a disruption in language abilities (production and/or
comprehension) due to brain injury
,◉ Tan's Brain.
Answer: Patient named Louis Victor Lebourgne, but nicknamed
'Tan'.
His utterances were limited to a single syllable, "tan", usually twice.
Couldn't produce language.
1861: Paul Broca examined Tan's Brain (post-mortem).
Came to the conclusion that the loss of language ability was linked to
the local damage in "Broca's area".
◉ Broca's aphasia.
Answer: Speech is broken and halted (telegraphic speech)
Words make some sense, but the structure is incorrect
a.k.a. agrammatic aphasia
Comprehension in Broca's aphasics is mostly in tact, but there are
problems with complex sentences
Lesions found in particular part of the LH
(frontal lobe)
Semantics (meaning): Okay
Syntax (structure): Not okay
Comprehension: Mostly OK
Writing: Few words, but they do make sense.
,◉ wernicke's aphasia.
Answer: speech is fluent, but doesn't make much sense
•grammar usually not affected
•problem w/ word choice and meaning •Neologisms-newly created
words •comprehension severely impaired
•a.k.a. semantic aphasia
Semantics (meaning): NOT okay
• Syntax (structure): okay
• Comprehension: NOT okay
Writing: Many words, but they do not make sense.
◉ Anomia.
Answer: Another kind of aphasia
Patients have difficulty finding words during speech and when asked
to name things, but can describe exactly what an object is for
No problem with comprehension or repetition of words
Can be very specific (plants/animals, food words, peoples names,
etc)
Anomia is difficult to localize.
Often associated with damage to the angular gyrus
, ◉ What can we learn from aphasiology?.
Answer: Language function isn't housed in a simple 'box' in the brain
Discreet areas control different aspects of language: one area of
language use may be compromised while another is fine.
◉ Specific Language Impairment (SLI).
Answer: • affects about 7-8% of kindergarten age children.
• Very specific types of difficulty with language: children with SLI
often omit "function" or grammatical words like 'of, the, is,' etc.
(Meowmeow chase mice. Show me knife.)
• Children have normal IQ and normal ability in all other areas,
including speech comprehension and hearing.
• It is only linguistic ability and often only specific aspects of their
grammar that are impaired.
Areas of difficulty: Function words (he like me? vs does he like me?),
tense/person marking on verbs, plural marking on nouns
Good IQ but not good lang ability
◉ Williams Syndrome.
Answer: Overall IQ: 40-90, Average IQ: 55
• Limited spatial and motor skills (may not be able to tie shoes or cut
with a knife)
• Extremely social and friendly
