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People get by with sign language pretty well and they typically don't use much of their vocal equipment. In fact, it's quite possible that vocal language and s
by sunstone 7y ago
People get by with sign language pretty well and they typically don't use much of their vocal equipment. In fact, it's quite possible that vocal language and sign language co-evolved in earlier hominids as the vocal tract slowly evolved for more sophisticate sound generation.
- chmod775 7y agoI'm pretty sure you need to be "pre-wired" in order to learn advanced language in an acceptable timespan. Even the prime examples of primates we taught sign language to weren't very impressive next to a human. So it's probably not just about vocal cords or having hands to wave around.
- oblio 7y agoI think there's study about "feral humans", kids abandoned when they were really young that managed to survive. When reintegrated into society after 0 interaction with humans they were unable to grasp more complex grammar concepts. They would get a full vocabulary but were unable to form complex phrases. So there's definitely a component of the brain that is there but needs to be activated explicitly for "modern" humans to work as we except them to do. I don't know what the impact for sign language was though...