I thought the reading did a really good job of explaining that language is not just a set of verbs, but also heavily depends on context and on certain grammar structures. Since most words are bound by a certain grammar and by accompanying words, this can create a level of predictability in learning foreign languages. By that, which Crystal talks about, I mean when you hear a certain word, you create a certain vocabulary set in your head that is used with the word, and makes it easier to guess which word will come after another. I like that Crystal explains that concepts such as these connect words together in a language, and that not only are words understood to have certain definitions individually, but they also have meanings in their different combinations. This can explain why some words can be used in situations that are not similar at all, which is frustrating for foreign language learners, as sometimes you are unable to exactly translate a word, or the translation you do choose cannot encompass all the different meanings and applications that the word has in another language.
I think by learning about which brain structures are associated with which aspects of learning a language, it can make my goals about which styles of learning to target more clear. For example, spoken comprehension and actually speaking are processed in two different areas of the brain, meaning that experience in one aspect in a foreign language does not directly translate to being equally skilled in another. Overall, I found the readings very informational.
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