ANTH 011 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Vocal Tract, Parietal Art, Hyoid Bone
5 Aug 2020
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Document Summary
A non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions, and desires by means of a system of voluntarily produced symbols. Approaches to try to demonstrate the presence of language in our fossil human ancestors. Rely on identifying some expression of symbolic behavior in the archaeological record as evidence for the presence of language. Clear evidence of abstract thought can be found in more recent time periods. Evidence of symbolic behavior, imply the presence of language. Relying on attempting to identify in our fossil human ancestors the anatomical correlates of language capacity seen in modern humans. A number of approaches have been taken over the years. Cerebral language centers in hominin fossilized brain endocasts. Studying the anatomy of the hyoid bone. Brain damage in these regions result in speech impairments. Continually changes its shape as we talk, to produce the different sounds which give rise to speech.
