Final answer:
The brain areas essential for language development, use, and comprehension are Broca's and Wernicke's areas, both connected by white matter tracts in the left hemisphere. Broca's area is related to speech production while Wernicke's area is vital for language understanding.
Step-by-step explanation:
The areas of the brain that must function together in order for a person to develop, utilize, and understand language are Broca's area and Wernicke's area. Broca's area is responsible for the production of speech and is located in the frontal lobe. Wernicke's area is critical for the comprehension of language and is situated in the temporal lobe. Both areas are most commonly found in the left hemisphere of the brain, which is the dominant hemisphere for language in most people. These two areas are connected by a bundle of nerve fibers that enable them to work together in language processing.
Broca's area is associated with expressive aphasia, which leads to difficulty in speech production, resulting in halting or broken speech and sometimes impaired grammar. Wernicke's area, on the other hand, is linked to receptive aphasia, where a person may be able to speak but has difficulty understanding language content, both spoken by others and themselves. Damage to these areas, such as from a stroke or trauma, can lead to language difficulties or loss of language abilities (aphasia).