Page:Ralcy H. Bell - The Mystery of Words (1924).pdf/57

 affinity for verbs over the other parts of speech? There are nouns as old as verbs—perhaps older. Man probably named many things before he was conscious of their functions and qualities. The question may be solved when we learn more of our subconscious nature. This and many other mysteries of words may clear up as our knowledge increases of physiology and psychology; for, although we have made great progress in these studies, still we may be only in the primary grades.

Disturbances of the faculty of speech in brain-shock or paraphasia have been carefully studied; and it has been noted in this condition that while the patient may be able to speak, his words show a tendency to jumble. Wrong words persistently and vexatiously present themselves. That is to say, the mechanism in the region of Broca is out of order; it fails to function properly. If words originated in the mechanism and not in the ideas, of which the words are symbols,