origin of language | Animal and human lang

Spoken language developed between

100,000 and 50,000 years ago

Written language developed about

5,000 years ago

8 Theories of the sources of language

Divine, Natural sound, musical, social interaction, physical adaptation, tool making, gestures, and genetics.

Divine Source + Research

Research: would children not exposed to language learn the divine language?

Results: no language = language deprivation

Natural Sound Source (2)

Language is based on natural sounds

“Bow-wow” Theory and “Pooh-Pooh”

“Bow-Wow” Theory

Language imitates the sound/ noise they describe (onomatopoeia)

what if they don’t make no sound or is an abstract thought?

“Pooh-Pooh” Theory

Speech developed from natural cries of emotion, typically made with intake of breath

Most spoken language is through exhale

Musical source

Intonation develops before language, babies recognizes mother’s intonation more than others.

Darwin’s proposal 1871: music to swoon partners.

Social interaction (“ye-ho-yo”) theory (Jespersen,1922)

Uttering sounds like grunts were necessary in group physical efforts

Humans language developed in a social context > early people lived in groups

Physical adaptation source definition

anatomical features used for other purposes were adapted for speech. (Lungs- breathing, vocal folds prevent food getting into lungs)

Humans bipedal motion>allows humans to exhale longer for speech

Physical adaptation source human anatomical features like

Smaller, upright teeth, more flexible lips: m, p, b sounds

Larynx is lower creating a longer pharynx above the vocal folds > sound longer in range and clarity

Infant vocalization

Sounds made with lips(libial sounds)

• Physically easier to produce

• Easier to imitate

• Common in language environments

Tool making source

Tool making and speech co-developed due to their proximity in the brain

gesture source

Development of language is based on existing connection of human brain and hands.

Infants start using gesture at 10 months

Genetic source

Innateness hypothesis: humans are born with special capacity for language

Children need language community to start speaking/ singing