PSY274H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Homo Erectus, Vocal Tract, Proto-Language
Document Summary
Human"s created language through the imitation of sounds. Building on sounds that humans spontaneously produce in reaction to things. Language emerged from the noises a group of people would make when working. Evidence = use of rhythmic features in language (stress patterns) similar to the la- la theory (language evolved from singing how did music evolve first and how did it evolve). The link between vocal abilities and language difference between the vocal apparatus of humans and other primates. Humans are poorly adapted for swallowing and can choke to death. Other primates cannot due to the position of the components in the vocal tract. The positioning in human"s vocal tracts allows for the production to a wide variety of sounds. By looking at the vocal apparatus of our ancestors, anthropologists can estimate which ancestors had language. The ability to make a wide range of sounds doesn"t necessarily mean there"s language. Bickerton early humans had a protolanguage (small way of communicating).
