 |
 |
 |
|||
Legal
|
Origin Of Speech Reply 1From Edie H. Lavroff I am trying to do a presentation on the subject of "The Origin of Language" for my class in Ancient Civilizations (this title covers a lot of territory). I read your article and must agree that it sounds very reasonable, but...yes, there is a 'but' of course, if we started out with grunts and such and then developed speech, then why didn't the apes learn to do the same thing? That is where I have trouble with your concept. Could you write me a few lines on your ideas as to how to deal with this problem? I would be most grateful. I just wrote you a response to your article but forgot to mention the fact that, as you write, animals haven't learned to speak human languages because their jaw, tongue and throat are not capable of the movements necessary to form recognizable words. Are you saying that we always had the ability to talk if we had known how? I thought that the early humans also lacked the vocal cords necessary to form speech. Am I way off base?
Author's Reply The debate on the origins of speech is much like the chicken and the egg debate. Did we develop the brain power or the physical assets first and does it matter. Both had to develop before complex sounds could be made by humans. Did we start with moans and groans? Did someone teach us? Did we learn by imitating other animals? What people believe is in a large degree based on their belief on the origins or life. Creationists and evolutionists will come to different conclusions and neither may be complete right or wrong. The idea I present for the origins of speech is not original but a modification of existing theories. I briefly mention some of those theories in Man’s Greatest Invention. Regardless of our origins, we had to learn to speak. I don’t think that ability sprang full blown but rather we had to gradually learn how to speak and also we had to gradually give meaning to the various complex sounds. Sounds became words and words became language. The research I have read indicates we had to develop the brain power then the throat and vocal cords to produce complex sounds. If that be true then the brain encouraged the development of those physical assets that allows complex sounds to be created. But it could just as easily happen the other way around. We know that some animals (dogs and apes) can recognize words or sounds and respond appropriately to those words or sounds. Apes can communicate with us through symbols and dogs learn to recognize words and command or requests. Some even respond to whistles and signs. What this may mean is that some animals understand speech but lack the ability to speak in a manner we can understand. If this is true than it would seem to indicate the brain developed the ability to speak but had to wait until we had the throat, tongue, vocal cords, and lips that could create the complex sounds required for modern speech. I’m no expert just a curious person. Noam Chomsky presented the concept or theory that the brain had a language organ. He did this before he became a political activist - I think. His idea has been shot down so maybe that’s why he change fields.
Send a Reply
|
2004 Articles |
|||