Cerebral Dominance for Language in Literates and Illiterates: A Study with Normals

Abstract

Thirty normal right handed literate and thirty normal right handed illiterate adults were administered with a dichotic verbal recall task to determine cerebral dominance for language and to see whether there was any difference in cerebral dominance for language in between these groups. The results indicated a statistically significant difference in cerebral dominance for language for literate and illiterate adults. 13.42 per cent of the illiterate subjects and 90 per cent of literate subjects showed a left hemisphere dominance for language. Bilateral representation for language was observed in 43.29 per cent of illiterates and 10 per cent of literates. Right hemisphere dominance for language was observed with 43.29 per cent of the illiterates and it was not exhibited by any of the 30 literate subjects.