Most people assume that language and speech are solely human traits. Given the human-centric way of thinking that has pervaded many aspects of daily life, this thought is not too far fetched. As humans, we like to think that we are, and have always been, the cream of the crop: the smartest, fastest, best suited creature that ever walked the earth, but a look into the archaeological record will tell a different story. This blog hopes to provide a look into that record, to look what has been discovered, as well as some popular theories on the question at hand.
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Hi,
ReplyDeleteThis is a fascinating topic! Have you read Christine Keneally's book, "The First Word"? I wrote an essay once comparing the speaking/language hardware and software of nonhuman primates and primates, and I tried to decipher when, in our long lineage, humans began to speak. Keneally's book was very useful indeed.
Have you looked yet at the role of the hyoid in speech? In this regard, the Neandertal hyoid found at Kebara Cave is highly significant. Have you read this paper? Arensburg, B., L.A. Schepartz, A.M. Tillier, B. Vandermeersch & Y. Rak. “A reappraisal of the anatomical basis for speech in Middle Paleolithic hominids.” American Journal of Physical Anthropology. October 1990. 83(2): 137-146.