Global aphasia is characterized by the complete loss of the ability to comprehend spoken or written language, as well as express language verbally or orthographically. Verbal expression is limited to words or short automatic phrases such as explicatives. Meaning can sometimes appear to be present because of the emotional content of the explicatives. Also, comprehension is totally absent even though facial expression and fleeting looks might appear that the patient comprehends. Repetition and naming are also disturbed.