An inability to process language does not necessarily affect mathematical ability, UK researchers have found. “This suggests mathematical reasoning can exist without language” (BBC News Online, 15 February 2005).

A team led by Rosemary Varley at the University of Sheffield made the discovery by studying three patients with severe aphasia — an impairment in the ability to understand and to produce grammatically correct language.

Although the patients understood the words 'lion', 'hunted' and 'man', they were not able to tell the difference between the sentences 'the lion hunted the man' and 'the man hunted the lion'. However, when they were presented with sums such as '52 minus 11' and '11 minus 52', which were structured in a similar way, they had no problem with either.

Varley speculates that “It might be possible to use this capacity for mathematical grammar to help the patients find a way to interpret speech and the written word” (news@nature.com, 14 February 2005).

The discovery challenges a commonly held view that language processing is a fundamental skill that is used for related grammatical tasks in the brain, such as certain mathematical ones. “We have blown that one to pieces, I think” Varley told New Scientist (19 February 2005).

Some have gone even further. According to New Scientist, the study indicates that “mathematical and language skills evolved independently”.

However, not everyone agrees. “That does not rule out the notion that both syntax and math abilities derive from common architecture” cognitive psychologist Stanislas Dehaene told Science Now (15 February, 2005).