LINGUIST 1A03 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Neural Pathway
14 Aug 2016
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Document Summary
Early humans (aka homo sapiens-sapiens ) were anatomically a lot like we are now,despite being 100,000 to 200,000 years older. Their large brains and vocal tracts made oral language possible. Archeological evidence suggests that they also would have had sufficient intellect to communicate in a complex language. Evidence includes tools,cave paintings and complex markings. The most updated list of living languages notes just under 7000 worldwide. Many aboringinal languages are dying as elders die and young people are having their native culture stripped away. Humans are highly specialized to percieve language. Newborns can respond differently to human voices than other types of sounds almost immediately. Six month old infants can distinguish subtle differences amoung sounds from foreign languages they"ve never heard before. To seal off the passage to the lungs. To shape food and move it to the teeth,and later down the throat. To seal the oral cavity when not in use. To produce audible vibrations for sound and speech.
