Re: Human speech

Glenn R. Morton (grmorton@waymark.net)
Tue, 29 Sep 1998 20:52:32 -0500

At 08:06 AM 9/29/98 EST, McCarrick, Allan wrote:
>The current issue of Science & Spirit (vol 9, no 4) has a small news item
>on the origin of language (p.13). Richard Kay of Duke University studied
>the HYPERGLOSSAL CANAL of fossil hominid skulls. The hyperglossal nerve
>runs through the canal to the tongue. It is believed that the complex
>control necessary for speech can be read in an enlargement of that canal.
>
>Hyperglossal canals close in size to modern Homo sapiens are found in at
>least two Neanderthal skulls dated 60-70 kya, in "early" Homo sapiens
>dated 90 kya, and unidentified [by the reviewer] Homo species dated
>300-400 kya.
>
>In contrast, Australopithecus africanus, >2 Mya, has a canal 1/2 the size
>of modern sapiens, and about the same size as chimps.
>
>The reviewer concludes, "This work suggests that fine neurological
>control over the vocal tract emerged at a time, around 500,000 to 100,000
>years ago, when human ancestors achieved major adaptive feats in social
>structure and technology."
>

thanks for this. I saw that report and read the original article. I
thought I had reported on it, but I guess I didn't. It presents some
difficult data for those who want to say that language evolved only 40,000
years ago.
glenn

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