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Evolution of Language: Neanderthal Speech

Evolution of Language: Neanderthal Speech. One clue to the evolution of speech is the descent of the larynx which allows for the articulatory control of air. Arch of Cranial Base: Indicates descended larynx. Earliest hominins (Australopiths) had cranial base similar to apes

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Evolution of Language: Neanderthal Speech

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  1. Evolution of Language:Neanderthal Speech One clue to the evolution of speech is the descent of the larynx which allows for the articulatory control of air.

  2. Arch of Cranial Base: Indicates descended larynx • Earliest hominins (Australopiths) had cranial base similar to apes • Cranial base approximates human angle in Kabwe and Steinheim skulls (around 300,000 ybp) • Neanderthal cranium actually flatter than some older samples.

  3. Hominin Evolutionary Chronology • 5-7 mybp: split between chimp and hominin lines • 5-4 mybp: emergence of earliest hominins – australopiths • 2.5-2 mybp: emergence of genus Homo (first major brain size expansion • 1.8 mybp: emergence of Homo erectus/ergaster (first evidence of human-like traits) • .5 mypb: emergence of Homo heidelbergensis (first of the archaic Homo sapiens; second major expansion in brain size • 200,000 ybp: emergence of Homo sapiens, Neanderthals • 35,000 ypb Upper Paleolithic revolution

  4. Animal Language: Vervet Alarm Calls • Different alarm calls appear to be referential

  5. Ape Language Studies • Washoe Koko Nim Chimpsky • Fouts/Gardners Francine Patterson Herb Terrace

  6. Kanzi: The talking BonoboSue Savage-Rumbaugh Lexigram symbol language Simple syntax Spontaneous acquisition Referential/symbolic understanding 90% utterances: requests/commands

  7. Derek Bickerton: Catastrophic Evolution Two steps: protolanguage – associated with increasing brain size Full language – associated with cultural revolution in UP

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