From Grunts to Grammar

From Grunts to Grammar:
They Evolution of Language



English speakers understand language by the order they are in. Grammar in writing makes it easier for us to explain things. But the big question is how did humans learn to talk this way? The earliest human is Homo habilis. Around 2 and a half years ago we started to use speech. For us to have the development in changes of voice is in the larynx (voice box). It has vocal cords that let us make sound form our throats. Most mammals they have their larynx high so their range of sound is limited. Also most mammals are nose breathers. but we can also breath through our mouths. When they chased animals it was easy for them to keep on running and not lose breath because when they breathed through their mouths to let more air in and out of the lungs. So for us to start being able to develop language all the pieces in the brain and throat were put together.

Paleoantlropologists need to look for signs of communication because we cannot find evidence of language back then. So how can we find information on how they communicated to other members of the tribe? First we would not start using full language for making tools because if you look at chimpanzees' they picked leaves off sticks then stuck the stick down a ant hill and then stick it in their mouths and they got a nice tasty snack and they didn't have to use language to do that. But then some tools had certain steps which would maybe require language. We communicated in three different ways sound, hand motions, and facial expressions. And we still all use these today for example people that are deaf they use hand motions to communicate. So if we know how they communitcated then when did they start to communicate? From a small population in Africa, Homo sapiens spreaded out into the world. When they migrated to Asia it was probably around 60,000 t0 80,000 years ago. But migrating to there probably did not need t0 much language. But when they went to Australia, at some point there was water they would need to cross so to cross it they would have to make some type of boat and to do that you would need to use language. So this shows how language started and how it has changed over time.

Bibliography

Miller, Jeanne. "From Grunts to Grammar." Odyssey: Adventures in Science  Oct. 2009 : 34, 35, 36 . 

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