Chapter One: The origins of language1. What is the relationship between speaking, on the one hand, and chewing, licking and sucking on the other?

All of these actions involve movements of the mouth, tongue and lips in some kind of controlled way. It is an example of the type of observation that can lead to interesting speculations about the origins of spoken English.

2. What do scientists assume about the time of the development of spoken and written language?

Scientists assume that some type of spoken language developed between 100,000 and 50,000 years ago and that some type of written language developed about 5000 years ago.

3. What are the major speculations in vogue about the origins of human language?

The major speculations in vogue about the origins of human language are: 1. the divine source, 2. the natural sound source, 3. the physical adaptation source, and the genetic source.

4. Briefly explain the divine source speculation about the origins of human language.

One of the very popular speculations about the origin of human language is that of the divine source. In the biblical tradition, God created Adam and “whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.” According to a Hindu tradition, language came from Saraswati, wife of Brahma, creator of the universe. The Quran, the divine book of Islam, emphatically states that Allah taught Adam, the first man, all the names and that it was He who taught man the skills of speech, writing, and everything that he didn’t know. In short, in most religions, there appears to be a divine source that provides humans with languages.  There were several attempts across history to experimentally find out the truth about this. The case of the Egyptian pharaoh and King James of Scotland were two instances.

7. What, according to scientists, were the advantages humans had because of their mouth in the development of speech?

Scientists point out that in the process of evolution humans developed a mouth that is relatively small compared to other primates, can be opened and closed rapidly, and contains a smaller, thicker and more muscular tongue which can be used to shape a wide variety of sounds inside the oral cavity. 

8. How did lips help in the development of human speech?

Human lips have much more intricate muscle interlacing than is found in other primates and their resulting flexibility certainly helps in making sounds like p or b. 

9. What is the role of the teeth in the development of human language?

Human teeth are upright, not slanting outwards like those of apes, and they are roughly even in height. Such characteristics are not very useful for ripping or tearing food and seem better adapted for grinding and chewing. They are also helpful in making sounds such as f or v. 

10. What is special about human larynx that contributed in the development of language?

The human larynx or ‘voice box’ (containing the vocal cords) differs significantly in position from the larynx of other primates such as monkeys. Scientists suppose that, in the course of human physical development, the assumption of an upright posture moved the head more directly above the spinal column and the larynx dropped to a lower position. This created a longer cavity called pharynx, above the vocal cords, which acts as a resonator for increased range and clarity of the sounds produced via the larynx.  (Resonator is a device for making sounds louder and stronger, especially in a musical instrument)

11. What is the role of pharynx in the development of human language?

Pharynx is the cavity just above the vocal cords (larynx) in human beings. It works as a resonator in making the sounds produced via larynx louder and clearer and also uniquely facilitates the production of certain speech sounds otherwise impossible to produce. It also increases the probability of humans choking over pieces of food.

12. Comment briefly on the role of brain in the development of human language.

What contributes most in the development of human beings enabling him in speech production is the brain. Human brain is unusually large relative to human body size. It is in control of all the complex physical parts including those of considerable physical adaptations (upright posture, low larynx -position, pharynx, free front limbs, the peculiar lips, teeth, mouth, tongue etc) that potentially help speech production. The human brain is lateralized, that is, it has specialized functions in each of the two hemispheres. Functions that control motor movements (speech, using tools etc.) are largely confined to the left hemisphere of the brain for most humans. There seems to be an evolutionary connection between the language using and tool using abilities of humans. All languages, including sign language, require the organizing and combining of sounds or signs in specific arrangements. We seem to have developed a part of our brain that specializes in making these arrangements.