Like many aspects of archaeology, it is difficult to find a consensus on the answer to this question. It has already been established that the hyoid bones of both species are remarkably similar, but apart from hyoid there are other factors that could contribute to a much different anatomy within the vocal tract. There are many aspects of speech related to the placement of and the attachment of muscles and ligaments to the hyoid that could alter the capacity for sound production, but based on the Kebara 2 hyoid these features appear to be similar to modern humans. (Arensberg, et. al, 1990) In fact, there are very few differences between the vocal tract of the kebara 2 specimen and modern H. sapiens. This alone does not prove that neanderthals could speak like the humans of their time, because having a vocal tract does not necessarily mean that an individual had the brain capacity to formulate a language.
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. 83 (1990): 137-146. Wiley Online Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.
No comments:
Post a Comment