The Origin of Language in Human Evolution

Language is a complex system evolved from animal cognition system not from animal communication, suggesting that only humans with complex brain system were capable of developing (Ulbaek, 1998). Whereas other animal species communicate through vocalised sounds, songs, or gestures specially primates such as apes. Similarly gestures and hand gestures were the form of communication used by early hominids, but Homo habilis and Homo erectus started to use vocalisations and decreasing the frequent use of simple hand gestures for communication. Humans developed a spoken linguistic system which is used to express separate and distinct thoughts. Others have suggested with supporting evidence that language evolved through imitation of sound in environment and identified vocal apparatus humans have necessary for spoken language (Fitch & Reby, 2001). However, there is no direct evidence and if one wants to study the origins of language must draw from other types of evidence such as fossil records or archaeological studies. This essay will outline the main theories and explain the origin of language giving supporting studies from various methodologies such as anthropology.

Symbolic sounds developed from the cries that primates used of alert one another as a sign of danger may have been the starting point for human language together with physical modulations required for speech. As quoted by Sabbatini (2001) “human language is the result of a complex interaction between thousands of brain areas and structures, neural mechanisms of perception and action, muscle activity, respiration…” This quote suggests that vocal language is a complicated process which involves many cognitive processes and muscle activity especially in the mouth and the phar...

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http://www.academia.edu/2075372/The_Voice_of_Things_the_revolution_of_human_language_and_its_origin_from_sound_imitation_