Brain damage to the primary oral-motor area produces paralysis of
the muscles of sound production. Damage to the adjacent Broca's
area may produce problems in producing the complex sounds
sequences of words, without producing paralysis and may also disrupt
grammar and syntax. Individuals with damage to Broca's area are
often unable to use grammatical information, but can still understand
the meanings of content words, such as nouns and verbs. Their speech
is halting, laboured and telegraphic in style, and often lacks verb
tenses or case markings. (p. 120)
Deacon distinguishes between the primary oral-motor area and the Broca's area
that is adjacent to it. He says that damage to the oral motor area produces
paralysis of "the muscles of sound production". Does this not refer to the
larynx?<<
Encyclopedia Britannica states,
"Broca's area, region of the brain associated with motor control of
speech..." Encylcopedia Britannica, 1982, Vol II, p. 288
Robert the issue of what exactly Broca's language performs in speech is less
important than the fact that it is involved in speech and that mankind are
the only ones who have it. If there are other functions involved in
the area so what? Only mankind has it and it is involved in speech.
glenn