Final answer:
Paul Broca was the pioneer who discovered the language areas of the brain, specifically Broca's area associated with speech production.
Step-by-step explanation:
The pioneer in the discovery of the language areas of the brain was Paul Broca. A French physician, Broca conducted research that greatly contributed to our understanding of how the brain processes language. One of his notable patients, Louis Victor Leborgne, could only utter the syllable 'tan', which ultimately led Broca to the discovery of the brain area responsible for producing speech, now known as Broca's area, located in the frontal lobe of the left hemisphere. This marked a seminal point in neurology and established the basis for later discoveries regarding brain function specialization, including the identification of Wernicke's area, which is involved in the comprehension of language.