The Origins and Evolution of Language | Michael Corballis | TEDxAuckland

Summary

This talk explores the enigmatic nature of language, its origins, and evolution. The speaker challenges the idea of a sudden mutation giving rise to language, instead proposing a gradual development from gestures to sophisticated communication. They highlight the infinite capacity of language to generate new meanings and the paradox of children's ability to learn any language versus the multitude of impenetrable languages worldwide. The discussion also touches on the role of bipedalism in freeing the hands and face for gestural communication, leading to the emergence of language, and the ongoing evolution of communication methods from speech to digital interfaces.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Language is a complex and mysterious phenomenon that science has yet to fully understand, much like how we can drive a car without knowing its intricate workings.
• 🌐 Humans possess an infinite capacity for language, constantly creating new sentences and meanings, unlike animal communication which is mostly repetitive and emotional.
• 🗣️ The diversity of languages, with approximately 6,000 existing, presents a challenge to understanding and communication, as most are impenetrable to speakers of other languages.
• 🤔 The origin of language is often attributed to miraculous or biblical events, such as the story of the Tower of Babel, but scientific theories like Chomsky's suggest a singular mutation as the catalyst.
• 🦍 The evolution of language may have begun with gestures rather than vocal calls, supported by evidence from the mirror system in the monkey brain, which is also present in humans.
• 🦧 Great apes demonstrate a capacity for basic communication through sign language and gestures, indicating a potential precursor to human language.
• 🤝 Sign language is a fully developed form of communication that uses the same brain areas as spoken language, suggesting that language can be effectively conveyed through gestures alone.
• 🦶 The development of bipedalism in human evolution freed the hands and face for gestural communication, which may have led to the evolution of language.
• 🌐 Language has continued to evolve beyond speech, with the advent of writing, the internet, and mobile phones, enhancing memory, distance, and computation in communication.
• 👐 The transition from manual to oral communication may have been a form of miniaturization, streamlining the process and freeing up the hands for other tasks, such as tool-making.

Q & A

What is considered the hardest problem in science according to the speaker?

The hardest problem in science, according to the speaker, is language because of its complexity and the fact that its origins and mechanisms are not fully understood.

How does the speaker compare human language to driving a car?

The speaker compares human language to driving a car by suggesting that just as people can drive without understanding the full mechanics of a car, they can use language effectively without fully comprehending its intricacies.

What is unique about human language according to the transcript?

Human language is unique because of its infinite capacity to generate new sentences and convey new meanings, unlike animal communication which is mostly repetitive, automatic, and emotional.

What does the speaker think about the biblical account of the origin of language?

The speaker views the biblical account of language origin, as described in the Old Testament with the Tower of Babel, as a miraculous story that doesn't align with scientific understanding.

Who is Noam Chomsky and what is his contribution to the understanding of language?

Noam Chomsky is a prominent linguist who has made significant contributions to the understanding of how language is structured and put together, though the speaker questions his theory of language evolution.

What is the speaker's view on the evolution of language?

The speaker suggests that language evolved gradually, starting with gestures and not from a sudden mutation as proposed by some theories. They believe it developed from a grasping reflex in primates to more sophisticated gestural communication in early hominins.

What evidence does the speaker provide for the gestural origins of language?

The speaker cites the 'mirror system' in the monkey brain, which is dedicated to making grasping actions and is also active when observing others making the same movements, as evidence for the gestural origins of language.

How does the speaker explain the ability of apes to communicate using sign language?

The speaker explains that apes can communicate using sign language or gestures because they are capable of making requests and simple sentences, demonstrating a level of generativity similar to human language.

What role does bipedalism play in the development of language according to the speaker?

Bipedalism played a critical role in the development of language by freeing up the hands and face for gestural communication, which the speaker believes is where language began to become sophisticated.

Why does the speaker think there are so many different languages in the world?

The speaker believes there are many languages because they adapted to different geographies, cultures, and needs for privacy, and also because language serves as a means of preventing communication as well as facilitating it.

How does the speaker describe the progression of language forms in human history?

The speaker describes the progression of language forms from gestures to speech, and then to written language, electronic communication, and finally to the multifaceted communication capabilities of modern technology like the internet and cell phones.