A Biolinguistic Aproach to the Mosaic of H. neanderthalensis Vocalizations
Lluís Barceló-Coblijn
December 2011 

In the present work I revisit the old question about the possibilities and aptitudes the H. neanderthalensis had for vocalization. I discuss new evidence that moves the discussion beyond traditional interest in the presence and interpretation of the fossil record and its comparison with the closest species to H. sapiens, like chimpanzees and gorillas. I apply to the analysis an interdisciplinary perspective and gather information from neuropsychology, genetics and comparative psychology. This procedure is useful to conform the aimed vision in biolinguistics, so that the neurocognitive activity becomes important thanks, above all, to the comparison with other species. Finally, I conclude that the hypothesis about the formation of a vocal capacity previous and independent to the cognitive faculty of language is plausible, and that Neandertals were probably able of vocalizing voluntarily, with communicative intentions and in a sophisticated way.

Format:	[ pdf ]
Reference:	lingbuzz/001269 (please use that when you cite this article, unless you want to cite the full url: http://ling.auf.net/lingbuzz/001269)
Published in:	Biolinguistics 5.4: 286-334.
keywords:	h. neanderthalensis, hyoid bone, von economo neurons, vocal tract, air sacs, evolution, phonology
previous versions:	v1 [March 2011]
Downloaded:	164 times

 

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