Re: Neanderthals...
jamesb@hgu.mrc.ac.uk
14 Oct 1995 14:06:31 GMT
To James Shreeve <jshreeve@ids2.idsonline.com>
wrote:
>Don't forget too the Neandertal hyoid bone from Kebara Cave in Israel.
>While it certainly does not prove that Neandertals had language, it
>refutes the argument that they could not have had human speech because
>of the shape of this bone in the throat. But it is important to keep in mind that
>what little hard evidence we had for Neandertal language suggests that
>they did in fact talk.
>
>
Are there more changes that were necessary besides Broca's area,
Wernicke's area, and the descent of the larynx before speech was
possible? Just out of curiosity, what do you think of the idea that some
of these features appeared initially as adaptations to diving?
I have read in the "Aquatic Ape Theory and Fossil Hominoid" paper (I
don't know the complete reference offhand but I can get it if you're
interested) that the massive bones of neandarthals are similar to the
massive bones of walruses and other littoral-zone dwellers. Do you think
this is crap?
James Borrett.
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