Re: Origin of Language
(davidwss@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca)
31 Jul 1995 14:42:56 GMT
Philip Deitiker (Pdeitik@bcm.tmc.edu) wrote:
: smryan@netcom.com (@#$%!?!) wrote:
(deletions)
: >So it is unlikely anything earlier than Cro-Magnon was capable of
: >modern speech. But, unless you assume divine intervention, such
: >capabilities do not arise spontaneously. It requires a preexisting
: >pressure and genetic raw material. Our speech is probably the
: >product of millions of years of refinement.
: >
: Wouldn't evolution and many modern day examples (of isolated groups of
: children devising their own language) predict that as soon as humans
: develope the mental capacity to devise language then language developed?
: According to the archeological record this should have occured 100,000 to
: 150,000 YA. Unless you can describe why predessesors of cromagnon man
: were of lessor genetic intellect then you have to assume that they had
: some functioning language.
It seems to be accepted by many anthropologists that the migration of
anatomically modern man across at least 60 kilometers of open sea to the
combined continent of Australia-New Guinea about 50,000 years ago could
not have taken place without the existence of language. The construction
of sea-going vessels and the level of planning and abstraction, and group
cooperation, required are considered impossible without language. I find
this argument highly speculative, but cannot refute it. What do you
think?
--
David Wasserman (davidwss@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca)
Curmudgeon-At-Large (DWasserman@edc.gov.ab.ca)
"The older I get, the more value I place on experience."
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