Flashcards on Origins of Human Language
Origins of Human Language: Theories, Evolution & FAQs
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Origins of language theory
38 cards
Card 1
Question: What early ability of newborn infants suggests humans may have used melody before words?
Answer: Newborns can recognize and prefer the intonation of their mother’s voice and their mother’s language, suggesting early use of melody to express themse
Card 2
Question: What evidence suggests other animals also produce songs, questioning uniqueness of human melodic origins?
Answer: Many creatures, such as songbirds and humpback whales, produce songs, indicating melody alone is not unique to humans.
Card 3
Question: What is the 'yo-he-ho' or Social Interaction Source theory for language origins?
Answer: Jespersen’s 'yo-he-ho' theory proposes sounds arose from vocalizations used to coordinate group physical effort (e.g., grunts and curses during cooper
Card 4
Question: Why is the Social Interaction Source appealing for explaining language origins?
Answer: Because it places language development in a social context: early humans lived in groups that required communication to maintain social organization a
Card 5
Question: What limitation of the Social Interaction Source is noted regarding explaining speech origins?
Answer: Although primates use grunts and social calls in groups, they did not develop speech, so the theory doesn’t explain why humans alone evolved speech ca
Card 6
Question: How did bipedalism potentially affect human speech according to the Physical Adaptation Source?
Answer: Bipedalism decoupled breathing rhythm from walking, allowing longer exhalations and short inhalations, supporting extended articulated speech (about 9
Card 7
Question: What breathing pattern is associated with human speech production?
Answer: Human speaking breathing is approximately 90% exhalation with only about 10% of time for quick inhalations.
Card 8
Question: What fossil evidence suggests some speech-like sound distinctions existed in ancient humans?
Answer: A reconstructed Neanderthal vocal tract (~60,000 years ago) suggests some consonant-like sound distinctions were possible.
Card 9
Question: Around when do fossilized skeletal features resembling modern humans start to appear, relevant to speech capability?
Answer: Around 35,000 years ago, skeletal features that resemble those of modern humans begin to appear.
Card 10
Question: What general approach does the Physical Adaptation Source take to explain origins of speech?
Answer: It looks at physical features of humans—especially anatomical changes (like bipedalism and vocal tract structure)—that may have supported the producti