Language has been around for at least 150,000 years. It is intrinsically and distinctly human — as natural as breathing. Yet, countless mysteries surround language, especially regarding 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.
In short, yes, it is possible to think without using any language. Several scientific studies support this. In 2008, research psychologist Russell Hurlburt used the term “unsymbolized thinking” to describe a type of cognitive process that occurs without using words. MIT neuroscientist Evelina Fedorenko performed fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) tests 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 of the fMRI tests 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 some types of reasoning, although it does make it easier in many cases.
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 some participants were speaking to themselves silently, suggesting that those participants had internal monologues.
The development of an internal monologue likely happens at a young age as children gain internal commentary from working independently. Most adults have an internal monologue that operates as their go-to way of thinking, whether they’re putting together a grocery list, practicing a new language, or playing out a fictional argument. However, some people do not have an internal monologue. It’s unclear why this happens for some people, but hearing impairment and disruptions in childhood speech development can contribute toward it. This doesn’t mean, however, that they don’t have an inner voice — they might see a picture in their mind of a to-do list, rather than talking it through in their head. It is also very possible for people to think both visually and verbally, depending on the topic or context.
Bilingual and multilingual people often dream in multiple languages, but studies show that even people who are learning a new language might dream in that language. Dreamers might also experience languages they have come across before, but don’t speak with any fluency. This can result in their dream being nothing more than gibberish, even if they recognize the language. It relates to the information that the brain soaks up during the day and then passes along to other parts of the brain for storage during sleep. Any language that you 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 recognize it as a real language (even if you can’t pinpoint the name of the language).
It is very unlikely to have the ability to read or write in dreams. Reading comprehension begins with the eyes and optic nerves, which are inaccessible during dreaming, making true 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. It’s more likely a projection of the subconscious. The same stands true for writing. It is far more common for people to dream of the action of writing than it is for them to dream of legible words that they have written.
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