Evolution of language Flashcards
What are the three components of language?
semantics, syntax and phonology
What part of speech makes us be able to imagine things that dont exist through communication?
Semantics
What is vocal learning?
Ability to acquire new sounds by imitation and to be able to modify them in order to produce new sounds
What are three animals that are the best at vocal learning?
human, dolphin,seal
An example of semantics in animals?
Eagle , leopard, snake call in monkeys
What animal can use syntax?
Canary
What makes the human language better than other animal communication systems?
Capacity of recursion
What is the difference between the auditory developmental learning in humans and birds?
Birds are exposed to sensory input less than humans and they dont get time after their sensorimotor phase to be exposed again
in what other animal is baby talk found?
Zebra finches
How did vocal learning evolve?
Through convergent evolution (analogy)
What is convergent evolution?
When unrelated species get similar adaptations because of the same environmental necessity
What are Tinbergen’s four questions?
1) Mechanism
2) Development (ontogeny)
3) Evolution
4) Function (for survival)
What is an extra brain region important for human language?
Arcuate fasc.
How is human arcuate fasciculus better?
Bigger tract (more fibers), more lateralised tracts
What happens if you destroy the arcuate fasc.?
No repetition
How is the human brain better adapted to vocalizations with the larynx (3 reasons)
1) Laryngeal motor cortex is located in the motor cortex not in the premotor cortex
2) laryngeal motor cortex has two parts instead of one
3) LMC is directly connected to the nucleus ambiguous while for the other apes it has another synapse in the reticular formation
Who else is good at vocalizations and what is the reason?
birds, because like humans they have a direct connection to the nucleus ambiguus
Who is the only animal that proved to have theory of mind?
dog
What is the theory of mind?
The capacity to understand other people by assigning mental states to them
What other test apart of theory of mind is used to test cognition?
gaze following
What is key to understanding the evolution of language?
recursion and merge
What are the two most important theories in language evolution?
The continuity and discontinuity theory
What does the continuity theory say?
language evolved through a protolanguage (homo erectus)
What states the discontinuity theory and on what languages is it based on?
A mutation in one generation changed the language from something like pidgin to creole
