Re: speech
John Waters (jdwaters@dircon.co.uk)
18 Dec 1996 00:14:20 GMT
morphis@niuhep.physics.niu.edu wrote in article
<593u0f$9bb@corn.cso.niu.edu>...
> "John Waters" <jdwaters@dircon.co.uk> writes:
> >morphis@niuhep.physics.niu.edu wrote
> >> shorty question, what is the speculation on when
language came about?
> >> Neanderthal? Earlier? Any guesses at what level that
language existed
> >> in Neanderthal?
>
> >JW: Would you care to define the word *language* here?
What
> >do you mean by this? How would this compare with a
> >(typical) present day hunter gatherer language?
>
> What is typical present day hunter gatherer language?
JW: To me, a language with a lexicon of two thousand words
and no verbs. Any expert input here would be gratefully
received.
>
> >Would you care to define the word *language* here?
>
> No. :)
JW: Judging by the expert opinion on the subject I don't
blame you.
>
> However, in keeping with USEnet tradition of spouting off
when
> one knows next to nothing...
>
> Verbal communication with "words". Words being distinct
sounds having
> distinct meanings, e.g. individual sounds that corosponds
to preditor
> prey, that define size, ....
JW: Are yes, like the Vervet monkey. (Cercopithicus
aethiops). It has distinct words for Eagle, Leopard and
Snake. When the eagle word is called, the rest of the
Vervet monkeys all look up to scan the skies. Interesting,
isn't it?
John.
|