Language and human evolution

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Authors
Cunningham, Deborah L.
Advisors
Issue Date
1999
Type
Article
Keywords
Language , Communication , Human evolution , Language capabilities , Homo habilis and speech , Homo erectus and speech , Language and Neandertal , Neandertal and speech , Language and origin , Cultural complexity
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Citation
Cunningham, Deborah L. (1999). Language and human evolution. -- Lambda Alpha Journal, v.29, p.54-66.
Abstract

In order to appraise the linguistic ability of fossil hominids, author have focused on some of the morphological evidence. During the course of this research she discovered that the literature available on the topic of "Language and Human Evolution" is vast; many books and dissertations have been written on the subject. In fact, Mellars (1996:387) writes, "it is tempting to suggest that there are almost as many views of the possible origins of language as there are linguists, psychologists and paleoanthropologists who have written on the issue." It was impossible to exhaustively deal with all of the various evidence and theories in such a brief paper. Author's goal was to focus on evidence for language capacity from the vocal tract, brain, and hypoglossal canal, and then to discuss this morphological evidence in the genera Australopithecus and Homo.

Table of Contents
Description
Publisher
Wichita State University. Dept. of Anthropology
Journal
Book Title
Series
LAJ
v.29
PubMed ID
DOI
ISSN
0047-3928
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