How Words Shape Consciousness: New Research Reveals the Deep Link Between Language and Awareness

Does language shape the way we experience consciousness? Recent research from the University of Liège is offering new insight into that question, suggesting a deeper relationship between language and awareness than previously understood.

For centuries, philosophers and scientists have explored the nature of human consciousness. However, the connection between language and consciousness has remained especially puzzling. While it might seem intuitive that consciousness exists independently of language, new findings indicate the relationship may be far more intertwined.

Charlène Aubinet, a neuropsychologist and speech therapist with the Coma Science Group, explained that researchers have identified a key distinction between levels of language processing.

Low-level processes—such as recognizing speech sounds or simple words—can occur even when consciousness is significantly reduced, including during deep sleep, under anesthesia, or in patients with severe brain injuries.

“In contrast, more complex processes, such as understanding an entire sentence or integrating abstract ideas, seem to require a high level of consciousness,” Aubinet said in a statement.

Studies of patients emerging from coma have revealed parallel recovery patterns in language and consciousness. In some cases, early signs of language processing even precede and help predict the return of conscious awareness. Aubinet noted that “this observation has major clinical implications, as it cautions against assuming that the absence of verbal responses equates to unconsciousness.”

Interest in so-called “silent speech” has also grown alongside advances in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. Companies including the MIT-linked startup AlterEgo have demonstrated wearable systems that interpret subtle neuromuscular signals associated with internal speech, allowing users to communicate without speaking aloud.

The technology has generated excitement for accessibility applications, while also raising privacy concerns as consumer neurotechnology advances.

Inner speech—the internal voice people use when thinking—may not simply reflect consciousness but actively shape it. Researchers suggest it supports self-awareness and metacognition, enabling individuals to evaluate thoughts, emotions, and past actions.

Evidence from patients with aphasia, a language impairment caused by brain damage, further reinforces the connection. Many such patients experience difficulties with self-reflection and other higher-order cognitive functions, indicating that language plays a role in how conscious awareness is organized and expressed.

Traditional models often treated language and consciousness as largely independent. Current research instead suggests they operate as closely linked systems: language does not create consciousness, but it influences how people interpret, reflect upon, and interact with the world.

Fundamentally, Aubinet and her colleagues argue that much of the problem when it comes to breaking down the relationship between consciousness and the words we speak boils down to the nuances of how language is processed.

“The difficulty of disentangling the role of language in consciousness stems from the multi-determined nature of language processing itself, which ranges from low-level processing of phonetic and phonological features associated with speech to high-level processing of semantic content and morphosyntactic rules involving complex integration skills,” the researchers write in their recent study.

Beyond philosophical implications, the research carries practical importance. Improved understanding of language processing could help clinicians better assess patients with brain injuries, refine therapies for language disorders, and deepen knowledge of the neurological basis of self-awareness.

Rather than separate faculties, language and consciousness may function as complementary processes—something which researchers might liken to being “partners” working together in the complex mechanisms underlying human thought.

The recent study, “The interaction between language and consciousness” by Charlène Aubinet, Olivia Gosseries, and Steve Majerus, appeared in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.

Chrissy Newton is a PR professional and the founder of VOCAB Communications. She currently appears on The Discovery Channel and Max and hosts the Rebelliously Curious podcast, which can be found on YouTube and on all audio podcast streaming platforms. Follow her on X: @ChrissyNewton, Instagram: @BeingChrissyNewton, and chrissynewton.com. To contact Chrissy with a story, please email chrissy @ thedebrief.org.