Introduction

Spoken language first appeared 100 000 to 50 000 years ago while written language appeared only 5 000 years ago.

Divine Source

Most religions take the view that a divine source provided us with language. Disproven by studies where one places children with people who do not speak, the child does not magically gain the ability to speak a language (let alone a specific language deemed to be the language of the Garden of Eden) which could be called a “spontaneous” language.

Natural Sound Source

Theory that language stems from natural sounds. Human auditory system functions at 7 months in utero.

Bow-Wow Theory

Theory by Jespersen that early items were named based on sound. Similar to onomatopoeia. Unlikely as there would be no words for abstract and or quiet things.

Pooh-Pooh Theory

Speech developed from instinctive sounds. Sounds we make when scared or hurt etc. Unlikely as these noises are made with inhales and majorify of speech is exhale produced. Also by Jespersen.

Musical Source

Before we can make words we can make sounds. Proposal by Darwin. Use of intonation to communicate. Evidence in baby’s preference to mother’s intonation. Motivation to go beyond this could be the need to cooperate.

Social Interaction Source

Nicknamed “yo-he-ho” theory by Jespersen. Focuses on the sounds made when physically exerting oneself when in groups.

Physical Adaptation Source

Humans transitioned walking on hands and feet to being bipedal. Four legged creatures have breathing closely associated with their walking rhythm. Human breathing when speaking is 90% exhale and 10% inhale. Humans have vocal tract changes.

  1. Teeth - human teeth upright and even in height -> needed to produce f and v sounds
  2. Lips - more intricate musculature -> needed for p, b, and m sounds.
  3. Mouth - relatively small mouth -> rapid open and close
  4. Tongue - short and thick -> allows for wide variety of sounds
  5. Nasal - able to close off air to nose to increase pressure in mouth
  6. Larynx - different position from primates - lower -> longer cavity = pharynx
  7. Pharynx - acts as resonator -> increase range and clarity, means we can choke

Tool-Making Source

Manual gesturing a precursor of language. 2 millions yrs ago right hand preference. Human brain is large relative to body size and lateralized (specialized functions in each of 2 hemispheres). Control of motor movements for speech and object maniuplation near each other in left hemisphere. Need to be able to combine both of these actions to be successful.

Genetic Source

Baby’s larynx is high so it can breather and drink simultaneously. Innate ability for language whether spoken or signed. Innateness hypothesis suggests a crucial mutation or 2 occurred. Possibly linked to diet change that increased blood flow to brain. A child’s brain is \(\frac{1}{4}\) weight at birth.

Study Questions

  1. When did written language develop? 5 000 yrs ago
  2. When can we say the human auditory system has begun working? 7 months in utero.
  3. What did Darwin think early human communication was first based on? He thought it was based on musical notes with rhythm.
  4. What two things did early human need to take control of in order to produce intonation? Control of vibrations of vocal folds and breath control.
  5. What percentage of human breathing while speaking normally consists of in-breaths? Roughly 10%.
  6. What is the difference between the position of the larynx in human and other primates? Human’s larynx is lower.
  7. Why are interjections such as Ooh! or Yuck! considered to be unlikely sources of human speech sounds? They are made on the inhale which means they are not found in regular speech.
  8. What is the basic idea behind the “bow-wow” theory of language origin? Items/things/beings names after sound they produced. This is called onomatopoeic.
  9. Why is it difficult to agree with Psammetichus that Phrygian must have been the original human language? His study was based on little evident and the sounds produced by the child were likely the child imitating the goat sounds he was exposed to.
  10. Where is the pharynx and how did it become an important part of human sound production? It is located above the larynx. When larynx moved down it created more space so phayrnx could act as a resonator.
  11. Why do you think that young deaf children who become fluent in sign language would be cited in support of the innateness hypothesis? If deaf children are not able to speak then there can not be a dependency for physical adaption. However because deaf children acquire sign language at the same rate as hearing children there must be a special language capacity that is genetic.
  12. With which of the seven “sources” would you associate the following quotation? It would be associated with the physical adaption source.

Chewing, licking and sucking are extemely widespread mammalian activities, which, in terms of casual observation, have obvious similarities with speech. (MacNeilage, 1998)

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