"Out-of-Africa" hypothesis for origin of Language may not be correct

[littlemissmartypants]

4. I am leaning toward less emphasis on the spoken word geography notion.

I lean more toward a gestural system which possibly paralleled or was a precursor to spoken language. I make this speculation based on my knowledge of neuroanatomy and the proximity of the areas for the arms and hands to those for the lips, tongue and larynx. I think the more we gestured, made faces and even drew pictures to communicate the more the adjacent areas of the brain became engaged. I also suspect the first words were in response to pain and/or basic body actions like thoracic fixation for poopin' and having babies and could have been almost reflexive. Like when you slam a finger in a door and curse. I also believe the laugh played a part in the development of spoken words and perception of humor is regarded as a function of the frontal lobe and as a higher cognitive function. Then when these sounds began to emerge there were communication break downs that occurred this leading not only to more laughter but to attempts to correct miscommunication which lead to changes in facial expression and vocalizations which emerged as "words" from pairing sounds and actions. I believe this was not a cause effect determination but as the result of a continuous feedback loop.

http://mva.me/educational/brain_areas.html