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Our latest book--Nonverbal Steps to the Origin of Language (forthcoming) has reached the "comments & queries" stage, and should be published sometime soon in 2024. It's been quite the research & writing safari, we must say. Here's our Prologue:
NONVERBAL STEPS TO THE ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE
By David B. Givens & John White
(Nov. 16, 2023)
Prologue
Verbal / nonverbal nexus. In the following chapters we outline 15 nonverbal steps that led to the origin of manually signed and spoken verbal language. Human language did not arise sui generis—spontaneously on its own—but rather was superimposed upon a set of preexisting structural and semiotic features present in nonverbal communication (see below: LST: “Language Superimposition Theory”).
Origin of language. The birth of human language has been an elusive topic pursued by philosophers, scientists, and thinkers for centuries. Among early writings on the matter is Plato’s (429[?]–347 B.C.E.) somewhat humorous, late fifth century BC Cratylus dialogue on the origin of linguistic names for objects (see Ch. 12: Object Fancy). Among later, contemporary ideas proposed for language origins are three thoughtful and provocative theories that, unfortunately, have little or no basis in human neurology: (1) “Language Acquisition Device” (LAD), (2) “Growth Point” (GP), and (3) “Language Instinct” (LI).
LAD, GP & LI. Proposed in 1965 by Noam Chomsky (1928-2014), the LAD is an unidentified brain module that, theoretically, enables children to speak and understand the grammatical rules of speech. Introduced in 1992 by David McNeill (b. 1933), the GP is an unidentified neural process in which, at least hypothetically, speech, thought, and gesture are simultaneously unified. And, advanced in 1994 by Steven Pinker (b. 1954), the LI is proposed as an unidentified mental module that may confer an innate ability to speak and understand words. Again, specific nervous-system centers and pathways for these theoretical models are largely unidentified.
Patterns & standards. We now know that nonverbal messaging features preceded linguistic expression by ca. 3.7 billion years. The former not only came before, but also established the patterns and standards of linguistic communication via manual signing and word of mouth. We propose that human language—in both its vocal and gestural forms—was superimposed upon the older, preexisting nonverbal medium. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “Superimposition (of something) (on / onto something) [is] the act of adding some of the qualities of one system or pattern to another one in order to produce something that combines the qualities of both” (https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/superimposition; emphasis added).
LST. We thus propose a new perspective called “Language Superimposition Theory” (LST). Today’s verbal communication reflects the earlier medium’s role in self-assertion (please see Ch. 1: Chemical Messages), species recognition (Ch. 2: Audiovisual Messages), genetic reproduction (Ch. 1), emotional expression (Ch. 4: Mammalian Emotion), and attention to physical objects (Ch. 12: Object Fancy).
Medium of the molecule. Biologically, nonverbal communication originated some 3.7 billion years ago in unicellular organisms known as cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), early life forms that inhabited shallow-water communities called stromatolites. Voiceless, eyeless, unable to touch or hear, Earth’s first living residents communicated chemically through the medium of the molecule.
First of 15
Chemical cues represent the first of 15 communicative steps that led to the origin of manually signed and spoken language in genus Homo (see below, TABLE 1). Our book synthesizes research and outlines each of the adaptive stages that led to language—from the chemical messages of cyanobacteria to the sonorous vocalizations of human speech today (see Ch. 15: Sonorous Human Larynx).
Looking ahead, we will use Step 14 (Ch. 14: Human Cranial Capacity Increase) as a neural roadmap for the development of human speech. Unlike a treasure map, however, there is neither a simple “Dig here” arrow—nor a singular “X marks the spot.” There is no single area we can point to as being “The birthplace” of language. Rather, our neurolinguistic roadmap reveals a complex highway system of interconnected nervous-system areas, pathways and byways, structures, and routes.
On route to Language Land, we will visit varied landmarks and “rest stops” germane to speech origins. These conceptual destinations include novel topics such as Banter Politeness, Brainwave Entrainment, General Resonance Theory (GRT), Rhythmic-Vocal Respiration, Speech Musicology, Neural Oscillations, and Vocal Entanglement. And so, Bon Voyage!—We hope you enjoy the journey as much as we enjoyed navigating it.
David B. Givens
Spokane, Washington USA
&
John White
Slane, Co. Meath IRELAND
August 7, 2022
Building on our latest book--The Routledge Dictionary of Nonverbal Communication (London, Routledge, 2021)--Dr. John White and I are at work on a sequel: Nonverbal Steps to the Origin of Language (forthcoming).
May 9, 2016
The URL address to the CNS Website has changed. Some links to entries in The Nonverbal Dictionary were broken in the process. Please bear with us as we fix these links . . . In the meantime, please call or email to receive any items of interest.
April 28, 2016
Palm-up gestures and their accompanying speech acts evolved from an ancient neurological system that gave rise to both gestural (pectoral) communication and vocal (laryngeal) language. See “Reading Palm-up Signs: Neurosemiotic Overview of a Common Hand Gesture,” recently published in Semiotica. (To view this article, please click HERE.)
The origin of language began with the desire to procreate. See "Nonverbal Steps to the Origin of Language," which has just been published to the CNS Website. (To view, please click HERE.)
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