Language, Mind, and Brain by Ewa Dabrowska Chapter 5: Language and other cognitive processes

1. The modularity hypothesis There are some reports of a disconnect between language and other cognition, as in people with Williams’ Syndrome and other severely retarded individuals who are linguistic savants. A child with Williams’ Syndrome

2. Problems with the double dissociation argument Q: Is it really the case that one can have “language without intelligence” or “intelligence without language”?

2. Problems with the double dissociation argument Q: Is it really the case that one can have “language without intelligence” or “intelligence without language”? A: No. It is impossible to say that linguistic savants are lacking intelligence, and also they perform as poorly or worse than persons with “normal” IQ and language impairment, and their use of language is qualitatively different.