Final answer:
The left side of the brain handles language functions and is connected to the right side of the body. While specialized in language and associated tasks, it collaborates with the right hemisphere, which handles nonverbal language aspects and emotional expression.
Step-by-step explanation:
The left side of the brain is primarily involved in language functions and is connected to the right side of the body. This lateralization is seen in roughly 95 percent of the population. Despite the popular belief that people are dominantly 'left-brained' or 'right-brained', in reality, both hemispheres interact to process various functions. Research has shown that the left hemisphere is not only crucial for language but also for tasks involving memory association, selective attention, and positive emotions. Damage to the left hemisphere can cause aphasia, which affects speech production. However, the right hemisphere plays a role in understanding nonverbal cues in language, such as tone and facial expressions, and damage here can lead to difficulty in understanding figurative language and emotional expression.