The Origins Of Human Speech
Scientists have searched for the origins of human speech in the hoots, grunts, and other vocalizations made by primates. It would seem to make sense, after all, that such sounds may be related to the more varied and articulated sounds we humans make. But there are significant differences.
For example, human speech is learned, made using controlled and rapid movements of the tongue, lips, and jaw. Primatevocalizations, on the other hand, are not learned but innate.
So some researchers are now considering the hypothesis that human speech evolved not from primate sounds but more from monkey facial gestures.
Specifically, scientists are interested in how monkeys smack their lips to communicate. Using x ray movies, researchers at Princeton and the University of Vienna have found that primate lip smacking is much more complex than it appears. Like human speech, lip smacking requires quick, controlled movements of the lips, tongue, jaw, and hyoid bone, which supports the larynx and tongue.
For example, if you’ve been to a zoo you’ve probably seen chimps making loud lip smacks and buzzing sounds, like blowing a raspberry. Scientists believe that these sounds are a controlled form of chimp communication.
This research doesn’t quite solve the puzzle of the evolution of human speech. But it is a fascinating clue that the way we speak may have developed from a combination of sounds produced by the vocal cords and by rapid, controlled movements of the vocal tract, including lips, tongue and jaw.
人類(lèi)語(yǔ)言的起源
科學(xué)家一直在通過(guò)研究靈長(zhǎng)類(lèi)動(dòng)物發(fā)出的鳴響聲、呼嚕聲以及其他發(fā)音來(lái)探尋人類(lèi)語(yǔ)言的起源。這似乎很有道理，畢竟這些聲音與人類(lèi)發(fā)出的更加多變、更加清晰的聲音有相似之處。其實(shí)，兩者之間還是有很大不同的。
比如，人類(lèi)語(yǔ)言是后天習(xí)得的，人類(lèi)通過(guò)控制舌頭、嘴唇和下顎間的快速運(yùn)動(dòng)來(lái)發(fā)聲。而靈長(zhǎng)類(lèi)動(dòng)物的發(fā)音則是天生而非后天形成的。
因此，一些研究人員現(xiàn)在做出假設(shè)：人類(lèi)語(yǔ)言并不是從靈長(zhǎng)類(lèi)動(dòng)物的聲音進(jìn)化而來(lái)，而是從猴子的面部表情進(jìn)化而來(lái)的。
科學(xué)家對(duì)于猴子如何通過(guò)唇動(dòng)來(lái)相互交流尤其感到興趣。美國(guó)普林斯頓大學(xué)和奧地利維也納大學(xué)的研
Scientists have searched for the origins of human speech in the hoots, grunts, and other vocalizations made by primates. It would seem to make sense, after all, that such sounds may be related to the more varied and articulated sounds we humans make. But there are significant differences.
For example, human speech is learned, made using controlled and rapid movements of the tongue, lips, and jaw. Primatevocalizations, on the other hand, are not learned but innate.
So some researchers are now considering the hypothesis that human speech evolved not from primate sounds but more from monkey facial gestures.
Specifically, scientists are interested in how monkeys smack their lips to communicate. Using x ray movies, researchers at Princeton and the University of Vienna have found that primate lip smacking is much more complex than it appears. Like human speech, lip smacking requires quick, controlled movements of the lips, tongue, jaw, and hyoid bone, which supports the larynx and tongue.
For example, if you’ve been to a zoo you’ve probably seen chimps making loud lip smacks and buzzing sounds, like blowing a raspberry. Scientists believe that these sounds are a controlled form of chimp communication.
This research doesn’t quite solve the puzzle of the evolution of human speech. But it is a fascinating clue that the way we speak may have developed from a combination of sounds produced by the vocal cords and by rapid, controlled movements of the vocal tract, including lips, tongue and jaw.
人類(lèi)語(yǔ)言的起源
科學(xué)家一直在通過(guò)研究靈長(zhǎng)類(lèi)動(dòng)物發(fā)出的鳴響聲、呼嚕聲以及其他發(fā)音來(lái)探尋人類(lèi)語(yǔ)言的起源。這似乎很有道理，畢竟這些聲音與人類(lèi)發(fā)出的更加多變、更加清晰的聲音有相似之處。其實(shí)，兩者之間還是有很大不同的。
比如，人類(lèi)語(yǔ)言是后天習(xí)得的，人類(lèi)通過(guò)控制舌頭、嘴唇和下顎間的快速運(yùn)動(dòng)來(lái)發(fā)聲。而靈長(zhǎng)類(lèi)動(dòng)物的發(fā)音則是天生而非后天形成的。
因此，一些研究人員現(xiàn)在做出假設(shè)：人類(lèi)語(yǔ)言并不是從靈長(zhǎng)類(lèi)動(dòng)物的聲音進(jìn)化而來(lái)，而是從猴子的面部表情進(jìn)化而來(lái)的。
科學(xué)家對(duì)于猴子如何通過(guò)唇動(dòng)來(lái)相互交流尤其感到興趣。美國(guó)普林斯頓大學(xué)和奧地利維也納大學(xué)的研