Pragmatic Aspects of Communication in Brain-Damaged Patients**We wish to acknowledge the support of the National Institute of Neurological and Communication Disorders and Stroke (M 11408), the Veterans Administration and Harvard Project Zero.

Publisher Summary This chapter analyzes pragmatic aspects of communication in brain-damaged patients. It considers several aspects of communication in brain-damaged patients. The survey of the vehicles of communication reveals that the aphasics show some preserved use of intonation but only a modest use of gesture. Intonation serves a stronger communicative function for these patients than do gesture. While the role of gesture in the right-hemisphere patients is unclear, it is known that certain tasks involving intonation pose problems for them. At least for normal speakers, it might be inferred that the right hemisphere is, to some extent, involved in the propositional facets of intonation. Broca's aphasics are generally able to make clear reference but rely largely on cues from their conversants or from items in the surrounding environment. Wernicke's aphasics are less likely to adopt such strategies and, while they may verbally or even gesturally express objects or actions, they are less successful at coherently communicating clear ideas about these referents.