In their timely Review article, Fedorenko and colleagues highlight how the posterior temporal cortex “may be the most critical and irreplaceable1” node of the language network (LN), a conclusion that we concur with (Fedorenko, E., Ivanova, A. A. & Regev, T. I. The language network as a natural kind within the broader landscape of the human brain. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 25, 289–312; 2024). Here, we take issue with their overreliance on fMRI-based language-selectivity criteria, and the potential oversimplifications that arise from their monolithic conception of the LN.