Assumptions about the origin of human speech

THE ORIGINS OF LANGUAGE.

We simply do not know how language originated. We do not know that spoken language developed well before written language. Yet we have no physical evidence relating to the speech of our ancestors and because of this absence of evidence speculations about the origins of human speech have been developed.

In most religions, there appears to be a divine source that provides humans with languages. There were several attempts across history to experimentally find out the truth about this.

The Divine Source The basic idea of the theory is that primitive words could have been imitations of the natural sounds which early men and women heard around them (example: coo-coo sound made by a flying creature as the source of cuckoo). Further, in English, we have words like splash, bang, boom, rattle, buzz, hiss, screech, bow wow, etc. This type of view of the origin of language has been called ‘bow-wow’ theory. While it is true that a number of words in any language are onomatopoeic (echoing natural sounds), it is hard to see how most of the soundless as well as abstract things in our world could have been referred to in a language that simply echoed natural sounds. Another related assumption is that sounds of language may have come from natural cries of emotion such as pain, anger, and joy (examples: Ouch! Ah! Ooh! Wow! Yuck! Etc.). Another natural sound proposal is the ‘yo-he-ho’ theory which suggests that the sounds of the person involved in physical effort could be the source of our language.

Another important speculation about the origin of human language is that of the physical adaptation. Our ancestors, at some early stage, made a very significant transition to an upright posture, with bi-pedal locomotion, and a revised role for the front limbs. In the study of evolutionary development, human beings developed several physical features / adaptations (such as those related to teeth, lips, mouth, larynx, pharynx, and brain) relevant for speech. Although several of these features were found in other primates that did not develop speech skill, a creature possessing such features has the probability to develop the capacity for speech.

Teeth, lips, mouth, larynx and pharynx:

Scientists point out that in the process of evolution humans developed a mouth that is relatively small compared to other primates, can be opened and closed rapidly, and contains a smaller, thicker and more muscular tongue which can be used to shape a wide variety of sounds inside the oral cavity.

Human lips have much more intricate muscle interlacing than is found in other primates and their resulting flexibility certainly helps in making sounds like p or b.

Human teeth are upright, not slanting outwards like those of apes, and they are roughly even in height. Such characteristics are not very useful for ripping or tearing food and seem better adapted for grinding and chewing. They are also helpful in making sounds such as f or v.

The human larynx or ‘voice box’ (containing the vocal cords) differs significantly in position from the larynx of other primates such as monkeys. Scientists suppose that, in the course of human physical development, the assumption of an upright posture moved the head more directly above the spinal column and the larynx dropped to a lower position. This created a longer cavity called pharynx, above the vocal cords, which acts as a resonator for increased range and clarity of the sounds produced via the larynx. (Resonator is a device for making sounds louder and stronger, especially in a musical instrument)

Pharynx is the cavity just above the vocal cords (larynx) in human beings. It works as a resonator in making the sounds produced via larynx louder and clearer and also uniquely facilitates the production of certain speech sounds otherwise impossible to produce. It also increases the probability of humans choking over pieces of food.

What contributes most in the development of human beings enabling him in speech production is the brain. Human brain is unusually large relative to human body size. It is in control of all the complex physical parts including those of considerable physical adaptations (upright posture, low larynx -position, pharynx, free front limbs, the peculiar lips, teeth, mouth, tongue etc.) that potentially help speech production. The human brain is lateralized, that is, it has specialized functions in each of the two hemispheres. Functions that control motor movements (speech, using tools etc.) are largely confined to the left hemisphere of the brain for most humans. There seems to be an evolutionary connection between the language using and tool using abilities of humans. All languages, including sign language, require the organizing and combining of sounds or signs in specific arrangements. We seem to have developed a part of our brain that specializes in making these arrangements.

Give an account of the genetic source speculation about the origins of human language. Most of the physical changes discussed as physical adaptations in human beings that enabled them in speech could be found taking place in a little human baby as an automatic set of developments. At birth, the baby’s

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