Language has been around for at least 150,000 years. It is intrinsically and distinctly human — as natural as breathing, and yet, countless mysteries surround language, especially involving how it is interpreted in our minds. Can we think without it? How does it show up in our dreams? Researchers have been looking for the answers to these language questions (and more) for decades.
Can We Think Without Language?
In short, yes. It is possible to think without using any language. Research psychologist Russell Hurlburt used the term “unsymbolized thinking” in 2008 to describe a type of cognitive process that occurs without using words. MIT neuroscientist Evelina Fedorenko performed fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) studies to see if the parts of the brain associated with language lit up while participants solved number or word-free logic puzzles (such as sudoku). The results support the idea of unsymbolized thinking — areas associated with language did not light up, meaning that participants solved the puzzles without using any language. This research shows that language is not essential to reasoning, although it does make it easier in many cases.
Does Everyone Have an Internal Monologue?
An internal monologue happens when you “hear” yourself in your head (without speaking out loud). During research studies, the parts of the brain that would normally activate if the participants were actually hearing speech out loud also activated while participants were speaking to themselves silently, proving that some participants did have internal monologues. However, some people do not have an internal monologue, which helps support the case that humans can think without language.
The development of an internal monologue likely happens at a young age as children gain internal commentary from working independently. For adults who have internal monologues, it is usually their go-to way of thinking, whether they’re putting together a grocery list, practicing a new language, or even playing out a fictional argument. Those who don’t have inner monologues have inner thoughts where ideas are expressed, but the thoughts aren’t in their own voice. It is also very possible to think both ways, depending on the topic or context.
Why Do We Dream in Other Languages?
Bilinguals and multilinguals often dream in multiple languages, but studies show that even people who are learning brand-new languages might dream in that language. Dreamers might also experience languages they have come across before but don’t speak. This can result in their dream being nothing more than gibberish, even if they recognize the language. It all comes down to the information that the brain soaks up during the day and then (during sleep) passes along to other parts of the brain for storage. Any language that you can speak, or even a single word that you have heard from another language, could show up in your next dream.
Sleep and cognition specialist Matthieu Koroma discovered that our brains can determine what is a real or a fake language while asleep. If you don’t speak Japanese but hear it in your dreams, you will know it’s a real language (even if you can’t pinpoint the name of the language).
Can We Read or Write in Dreams?
Having the ability to read or write in dreams is very unlikely, but some dreamers do report seeing signs or text from time to time, although they’re fuzzy, illegible, or otherwise flawed. Reading begins with the eyes and optic nerves, which are inaccessible during dreaming, making reading nearly impossible. Two other areas of the brain are also disabled during sleep: Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area, which are responsible for visualizing and comprehending words. Some people have reported dreaming of reading, but this isn’t truly reading. The same stands true for writing. It is far more common for people to dream of the action of writing (in a diary, for example) than it is for them to dream of legible words that they have written.
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