Chimpanzees help trace the evolution of human speech back to ancient ancestors

[Jim__]

From phys.org

One of the most promising theories for the evolution of human speech has finally received support from chimpanzee communication, in a study conducted by a group of researchers led by the University of Warwick.

The evolution of speech is one of the longest-standing puzzles of evolution. However, inklings of a possible solution started emerging some years ago when monkey signals involving a quick succession of mouth open-close cycles were shown to exhibit the same pace of human spoken language.

In the paper 'Chimpanzee lip-smacks confirm primate continuity for speech-rhythm evolution', published today, the 27th May, in the journal Biology Letters, a consortium of researchers, including St Andrews University and the University of York, led by the University of Warwick, have found that the rhythm of chimpanzee lip-smacks also exhibit a speech-like signature—a critical step towards a possible solution to the puzzle of speech evolution.

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Now, the team of researchers using data from 4 chimpanzee populations have confirmed that they too produce mouth signals at a speech-like rhythm. The findings show there has been most likely a continuous path in the evolution of primate mouth signals with a 5Hz rhythm. Proving that evolution recycled primate mouth signals into the vocal system that one day was to become speech.

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The full research article is available here

[Karadeniz]

1. This will be interesting!

[bobbieinok]

2. Interesting. Thanks for posting. In 18th century the origin of language was of major interest

In 1772 Johann Herder wrote a major essay on the origin. IIRC he wrote it in response to a call for essays from a philosophical group in France.

Scholars were beginning to consider other options than simply stating that God gave humans language at the moment of creation.

[jeffreyi]

3. very cool, thank you