BEH SCI 145: Language and Human Behavior | Prof.
Gaea Marelle Miranda | TFG & TFI
UNIT 1: ORIGINS OF LANGUAGE - Language Evolution (Part 1)
OUTLINE
INTRODUCTION
Evolution of Language in the Human Species
LANGUAGE
Defining Language
Criteria for a Conception of Language (Santana,
2016)
Constructions of Language (Santana, 2016)
ORIGINS OF LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
Animal Language
Beginnings of Human Language
Evidences of Language Evolution
How did Language develop?
Theories on the Origins of Language (Boeree,
2003)
Activity: Timeline of Language Evolution
INTRODUCTION
● Studying language is an interesting yet complex
activity because language is involved in all aspects
of life.
○ Reading this sentence alone, for instance,
requires one to master one language.
○ Every single presentation and conversation
that you had in your life (yes, even when you
were infants!) required language.
○ The questions you might usually ask is how
you yourself developed the languages you
know now. It’s a valid question, and in the
latter part of the course, we will be tackling
that; but, isn’t it interesting to think about how
the human species, in general, came to
acquire or develop knowledge?
● Think about the time when the Austronesians were
inhabiting the earth, or when the Homo species
came to existence.
○ Did they already have language back then?
○ And if they did, how did such language
develop into the languages we have now?
○ How did one language spread to different
groups and individuals?
● These are the questions that we will try to answer
in this module. Fully understanding the languages
that we know today requires us to go back in time
and examine the events that led to this present
experience.
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Learning Objectives
By the end of this module, students should be able to:
● Generate a clear timeline of how language
developed for the human species;
● Relate ideas about language in relation to its socio-
cultural functions; and
● Understand the various methods used to study
language.
Evolution of Language in the Human Species
● The question of when and how language began is
something that is still being asked even at present.
○ While there are significant theories and
inquiries that have been developed over the
past decades, scientists in the field of
linguistics and anthropology have yet to
determine a clear-cut mechanism of how
language came about.
● Nevertheless, the Linguistic Society of America
(2020) highlighted that the most significant
characteristic that sets modern humans apart from
its early ancestors would be the shape of our
vocal tract.
○ The hominid humans existing about 100,000
years ago appeared to have vocal tracts that
are incapable of the modern range of speech
and sound that we have today.
○ Does this tell us that language only began
100,000 years ago?
■ Not quite; instead, we have an idea that
the language we know today may have
developed from a much simplistic form of
communication, which was sign
language.
BEH SCI 145: Language and Human Behavior | Prof. Gaea Marelle Miranda | TFG & TFI
● The difficulty in studying the origins and evolution of
language (in comparison with other anthropological
data) is that language does not have any
material remains that would allow scientists of
the present to acquire a glimpse of the past.
○ Instead, what we have are anatomical and
biological clues that only provide a small
picture of an entire linguistic evolution.
● Researchers, however, continue to debate on the
development of language; in particular,
○ some researchers believe that language
developed in stages (beginning millions of
years ago),
○ while some would argue that language
developed abruptly.
● The factors behind these theories include both
biological and socio-environmental developments.
○ Biological
■ On one hand, the brain’s capacity of the
early human species was continuously
developing, which could have led them to
assign meaning into different sounds
(note that they were using sounds rather
than words).
■ A recent study found the role of the gene
FOXP2 in language deficits and control
of the face and mouth both in apes and
humans, and the modern version of this
gene only appeared 200,000 to 100,000
years ago.
○ Socio-environmental
■ Clearly, something happened in early
human history that required the earlier
species to use language.
■ Among the theories is that sounds were
needed in order to label objects and
environmental activities (e.g. tools,
spears, animals, hunting activities).
■ The eventual development of a
protolanguage—a parent language
believed to be the source of all
languages—was thus believed to be
brought about by various cultural
activities and biological developments of
the early human species.
LANGUAGE
Language in general is important not only because it
distinguishes human beings from all other animals
on the earth but because, directly or indirectly, it
makes possible the elaborate organization of
civilized society… and language in general is
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interesting because, although everyone knows and
uses a specific language, few people understand
what they know. Becoming self-consciously aware
of what is known unselfconsciously carries a special
brand of excitement.
- George A. Miller (1991, p.2)
● Language is a complex topic that has many facets
to be discovered and many conceptualizations to
be validated.
● There are still questions left unanswered about
language and our lessons will shed light on them.
● Language serves more purpose than just
communicating with other people
Defining Language
● Definition of language continuously changes
○ Language is part of culture, and culture
changes. Therefore, we develop new
languages while some become extinct or
endangered.
○ Language as a cultural phenomenon and a
characteristic of the human species.
● A system of symbols, with several levels of
organization, at least phonetics (the sounds),
syntax (the grammar), and semantics (the
meanings) (Boeree, 2003)
○ These particular system of symbols are
always present in all existing languages
○ Defining language in terms of technicalities
means that it is a system of symbols, etc.,
○ Perhaps the most common meaning of
language
○ Language implies that there are rules in terms
of communicating
○ Later, we move away from that definition by
defining language as a social phenomenon
● Language is both a cultural phenomenon and the
most salient distinguishing characteristic of modern
Homo sapiens as a species (Chomsky, 1995)
○ Only the human species can speak in a
language that is complex, systematic, and led
by rules and notions.
○ Chomsky anchors on this definition because it
is very supportive of his very nativist
perspective on language (to be discussed later
on)
○ Comprises of a cultural aspect; it would
certainly exist in societies and allows us to
distinguish ourselves from other species
○ We consider ourselves to be more evolved
species than others, because we are able to
BEH SCI 145: Language and Human Behavior | Prof. Gaea Marelle Miranda | TFG & TFI
utilize a certain set of language that is evident
& present in our culture
● A system of conventional spoke, manual (signed),
or written symbols by means of which human
beings, as members of a social group, and
participants in its culture, express themselves
(Crystal, 1999)
○ Further expansion of Chomsky’s definition to
include ??wot
○ Definition of language is more social and
interactionist style
○ Would entail that language is used as
communication device
● All of these definitions explain why we DON'T
HAVE A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE
Linguistics is the branch of science that studies the
origin, structure, and use of language.
○ Umbrella term for all studies on language
○ Not only interested in how they are developed
but also the structure of existing and non-
existing languages today
○ There are other subtopics
■ Psychological, social, archaeological
■ Allow us to entangle linguistics to other
disciplines: evolutionary and biological
psychology and chemistry
○ This particular notion will also tell us that
linguistic and the study of language is very
very complex
■ We have a lot that we don’t know about
this, therefore, this explains why we
develop many theories in explaining how
these languages evolved
Criteria for a Conception of Language (Santana,
2016)
*where X is a particular language
● (1) x exists, in a form accessible to scientific
study
○ Language is applied and used
○ Main point: A language should exist, or should
have existed, in a particular point in time
■ There must be sufficient resources to
study X
■ Doesn’t matter if it still exists up to today
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■ What matters is the evidence that it
existed and how it impacts today
○ How will this satisfy languages that no longer
exist?
■ Through archaeological/anthropological
evidences
○ E.g., Hieroglyphics (why is this considered as
an ancient language of Egyptians even if it is
not used today?)
■ There are many anthropological and
archaeological evidences that it was used
during ancient times
● (2) x is (descriptively) a primary object of study
for linguists, and
○ It is a feasible area of study, within the realm
of linguistics
■ It is a topic within the scope of the study
of linguists
■ If we go back to the definition of
language/linguistics, we are primarily
talking about the structure and use of
language.
○ If it falls within what linguists study, then it can
be considered as a language.
● (3) x is reasonably referred to as ‘language’
○ It has been considered by society as language
○ What makes someone consider it a language?
■ When a certain group of people use it!
■ As long as it is used within the context of
a group (social interaction, community
activities), then it is qualified as a
language
● Is it required that all these criteria will be satisfied in
order to consider that a language exists? → YES!
○ All 3 conditions should be satisfied
● Think about whether you would consider language
trends (e.g., dothraki, valyrian, language in lord of
the rings, bekitalk, etc.) as languages
Constructions of Language (Santana, 2016)
● Language is a complex set of symbols
● How is language being used? How exactly is it
being understood in society?
● Psychological
○ How you express internally your psychological
function: Emotions, feelings, behaviors,
thoughts
○ Allows us to represent ourselves in society
BEH SCI 145: Language and Human Behavior | Prof. Gaea Marelle Miranda | TFG & TFI
■ To express what we want, how we feel,
how we communicate with others
● Social
○ We don’t communicate within ourselves alone
○ Language is a communicative device that
allows us to express & interact with other
people whether that may be verbally, in written
form, some sort of sign language or whatever
form it may be in
○ These particular interactions allow us to
develop complex relationships with others
○ Ex. holding a job
■ How can you hold a job without
communicating with others?
■ PWDs such as blind/deaf people still use
some sort of communication type (braille,
sign language, etc)
■ Pakikipagkwentuhan
○ Is a social construct that allows us to socialize
○ tackles on specific phases of development of
● Abstract
○ Language can enable us to understand
abstract concepts
○ To provide context into concepts
○ Example, our thought processes when seeing
a painting (we ask what does this mean, what
does this imply, etc.)
■ The questions in our brain are something
that already allows us to utilize our
language.
■ The means by which we interpret our
thoughts & other abstract concepts
entails a representation of abstract
concepts
○ Ex. pakikipagkapwa
■ Language allows us to label these
Filipino cultural concepts
○ Ex. feeling guilty or kilig
■ Kilig is somewhat an abstract concept in
the Filipino culture
■ How we are able to express & explain
these concepts means we are able to
work on abstract concepts
● These constructs allow us to function in society and
build rapport with other people
● If there is no language, how are you going to
immerse yourself in understanding what it is?
LESSON 1: ORIGINS OF LANGUAGE
ACQUISITION
*there is no clear explanation on how language
started
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● There are still numerous theories that there might
be something wrong with a theory in language
Leading Questions:
● What factors contributed to the development and
evolution of language?
○ Researches on archaeology and social
psychology
● Did language develop in a single leap or in stages?
● Is language only limited to humans?
○ Chomsky: Homo sapiens unique expression of
themselves
● Why is it that only human beings were able to
develop a complex set of languages?
○ Are we really sure that only human beings
were able to develop complex languages?
○ We can only rely on the evidence that was
found by anthropologists, archaeologists, etc.
○ The data that we have are very few that
language
● What differentiates Animal Language from Human
Language?
Animal Language
● Comprised of a few dozen distinct calls for specific
purposes (e.g. threat, food, danger)
○ Sounds made by animals in order to assess
their surroundings & situations
○ Made by almost all animals
○ Ex. dog barking, cat meowing, owl howling
● Not symbolic
○ A howl is just a howl. It is just a direct
response to their environment.
○ A dog who is hungry will bark or make a sound
○ Humans would utilize language as symbolic
■ Attach certain phrases to a psychological
symbol
■ Hungry - certain feeling we experience
when we lack food; love - when we
greatly admire someone
○ If we came from animals, then how did we
evolve from speaking complex language?
○ Among animals, they only have distinct calls
that are just made when they are experiencing
certain things
■ May or may not be similar in nature
■ E.g., bark for a dog = hungry/threatened
■ There are multiple meanings for a certain
bark
● Utilizes sounds rather than words
BEH SCI 145: Language and Human Behavior | Prof. Gaea Marelle Miranda | TFG & TFI
○ You don’t hear an animal say “wow, that looks
delicious”
■ Maybe except a parrot or other animals
that can imitate human sounds
■ But it won’t mean anything if they can say
it; they are merely imitating the sound but
not comprehending the meaning behind it
Beginnings of Human Language
● No period when humans were recorded to develop
language
○ This is the primary question that baffles
linguists
○ Unlike other parts of culture (food,
architecture, art), there would be plenty of
material evidence on how a particular material
culture developed.
○ In terms of language, the only way we can
understand its development is through written
evidences over time
○ What we are after here is when and how did
language begin?
■ Sometimes, we can’t even fathom
thinking about it.
■ What could have happened millions of
years ago to distinguish this set of
sounds & symbols to create the language
we have now?
● Human language believed to have begun with
‘grunts’ and ‘cries’ ( in evolutionary perspective)
○ Being hurt or being threatened by predators
○ If this would be the case, then what made
humans special that we were able to acquire
this specific capacity to speak and be as we
are now?
● Relevance of evolution in physiological differences
between humans and chimpanzees (these primates
are the nearest relatives of humans)
○ Opposable thumbs
○ Lower extremities suited for walking upright
○ Lack of body hair
○ Weaker muscles
○ Smaller teeth
○ Larger brains
■ Not just physical development, but also
cognitive development
■ Increase in size implies improvement in
cognitive processes (including language)
■ E.g., development of frontal lobe allows
us to do higher mental processes
○ *These particular differences would help us
distinguish ourselves from other primates
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○ *These evolutionary differences enable us to
develop a more complex set of skills
● Understanding that there is a particular point of time
that divides humans & chimpanzees, what in
particular triggered this line of divide that made
these 2 species go into 2 separate paths?
○ Still cannot be answered today
○ We do not have enough physical/physiological
evidence to support any hypothesis.
Evidences of Language Evolution
● Shape of the vocal tract - anatomical evidence from
100,000 years ago
○ Restricted range of vowels and consonants
■ Allowed them to develop certain sounds
that they were not able to do before
○ Sign language
■ Manual communication
■ Earlier form that is a symbolic language
that anchors on using specific sounds in
order to create certain meanings
● Ex. a louder grunt can mean
differently
○ Is it really that only started 100,000 years
ago? No.
■ 100,000 years ago = period of discovery
of cultural artifacts and evidences of
civilization
● There is a particular event in history
that allowed people to use particular
tools and form certain groups (the
early human civilization)
■ As we know it, the early hominid species
could already had been using
communicative tools that allowed them to
communicate with other people
■ Some critics would say that the restricted
range of vowels & consonants prove that
there was a previous stage wherein these
restrictions were learned
■ Some critics say the development of the
vocal tract did not facilitate language
development but only made it easier to
evolve our systems of communication. It
only made language and speech a lot
faster as compared to how it was before
● There are beliefs that there is a common language
capabilities between humans and primates
○ Vocal imitation
■ They can imitate the sounds made by
certain species.
BEH SCI 145: Language and Human Behavior | Prof. Gaea Marelle Miranda | TFG & TFI Study Buddies <3

■ Why do chimpanzees have the cognitive
capacity to imitate (voice and behavior)
or socialize with others?
○ Memorization
■ With a certain limit, primates can
memorize events, sequence, and the
likes
○ These enable us to see that if they are able to
do the same thing why is it that humans are
the only ones able to talk?
■ Possibly, because of diversion during
evolution
● FOXP2 gene inhibits language and facial control
○ Particularly, control in the mouth
○ Similar version is present in primates
■ According to evidences, humans also
had this gene but eventually evolved
○ Evolved in its present form between 200,000 –
100,000 years ago
■ We go back to this particular time of
period of discover
■ It emerged along with the discovery of
the shape of vocal tract
○ Humans may have had the FOXP2 gene but it
eventually evolved and allowed us to generate
the capacity to develop the language we have
now.
○ What triggering factor led this particular gene
to develop? (no answer yet)
■ Signals were made into symbols. There
were certain meanings associated with
certain signals.
■ If certain sounds were made, there was a
specific meaning attached to that.
■ Signals → words : signifies a civilization
forming
○ (2) Stringing of words together
■ String the words and the signals together
in order to make complex sentences
■ They did not use full sentences like we
do today
■ E.g. I peanut eat, I alone fish
■ Regardless of the syntax of these, they
were able to utilize and combine these
words in order to create complex
meanings with the limited vocabulary
they had
○ (3) Creation of a protolanguage
■ The source of all language existing and
formerly existing in the world

How did Language develop?

● All at once (monogenesis)
○ Language developed through a singular
mutation in the brain.
■ Brain had a different wiring suddenly
“turned on”
■ This is in context in all physiological
development
○ Complex meaning as expressed in a
combination of sounds.
■ Different wiring in the brain caused the
complex combination of sounds
■ Changes in vocal tract
○ E.g. grunts like “uh-oh” - these sounds were
maximized by humans where they derived
meaning of these limited sounds
● In stages (polygenesis)
○ Special properties of language evolved through per
particular stage through various hominid lines →
took a long time to develop
○ (1) “Digitization” of signals
BEH SCI 145: Language and Human Behavior | Prof. Gaea Marelle Miranda | TFG & TFI
PROTOLANGUAGE
● Oldest form of language that we have
● It is a hypothetical, reconstructed ancestor where
all language forms are derived
○ Hypothetical - lack of evidence; no empirical
data of existence
○ Reconstructed - from sounds & signals
○ Language forms - language groups that we
know of that stem out into the languages we
know today
■ All languages that have existed or is
existing would have been or would have
come from a protolanguage
■ There is only 1 protolanguage that
linguists believe have existed
● “Prior stage” in the evolution of human language
○ This is the rawest form of language that
allowed modern languages to develop
○ Stage Zero of language development
● William Jones (1746-1794) was the first person to
recognize the relatedness of language through the
Indo-European language family
○ WJ is not primarily a linguist but is a
government staff
○ He was sent to India where he realized that
many of the words they used in Europe were
similar to the Indonesian language
■ They may perhaps have come from the
same group of origin.
○ E.g. Filipino words are rooted in Austronesian
(Malay)
■ “Salamat” → selamat
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Theories on the Origins of Language (Boeree,
2003)
● Mama Theory
○ Language began with the easiest syllables
attached to the most significant objects
○ Examples:
■ Mama
■ Dada
■ When children want to eat food
(mamamamamam)
○ Associating these words/sounds with their
parents, the most significant figures in an
infant’s life
○ Everything else develops afterwards
● Ta-ta Theory
○ Language as derived from gestures (and
unconscious vocalizations)
■ People began to use gestures first then
they had unconscious vocalizations of
how they move
■ Your movement precede your language
○ Language initially acted as unconscious
vocalizations of movements
○ Examples
■ Movements of the mouth when trying to
concentrate
● When trying to put a thread in the
needle, we might stick our tongue
out, grin, open our mouth, etc
■ Children imitating the movements of
objects
● When they hear a sound of a toy,
they try to imitate them
● Bow-wow Theory
○ Language developed as an imitation of natural
sounds within the environment
○ Also called echoism or onomatopoeia
■ Echoism - people supposedly imitated
the sounds they heard from the
environment (“echoing” the sounds)
■ Early ancestors may have copied those
sounds and later developed certain
meanings for those sounds
BEH SCI 145: Language and Human Behavior | Prof. Gaea Marelle Miranda | TFG & TFI Study Buddies <3

○ Examples: ■ Implies that people expressed emotions

■ “Moo” from a cow ○ The first human words were “long and
■ “Meow” from a cat musical” (Jesperson, 1889)
○ Critic: How about those animals/insects that ○ “Music is innate” (Vaneechoutte, 2014)
do not emit sound? ■ Birds sing to call on their flock
● Pooh-pooh Theory ■ Babies react positively to music and
○ Language began as interjections or emotive sound
(affective) cries ■ Music is the innate thing that allows
■ Our ancestors did not have neutral language to develop
emotions. Emotions incite specific ● Hey You! Theory
sounds. ○ Language as an interpersonal expression of
○ Examples:Ex identity and belonging
■ “Ah!” for surprise ○ Also called contact theory
■ “Ow!” for pain ■ Not just product of speaking to oneself
● Ding-Dong Theory but learning how to speak with other
○ “Sound Symbolism” people
○ Small, sharp, high things tend to have word ■ Use of one-word sentences to express
with high front vowels in many languages communication/contact with another
while big, round, low things tend to have round person
back vowels (Müller, 1861) ○ Example
■ Physical characteristics of things ■ “Help”
○ Examples: ■ “Hey”
■ “Spear”, “tiny” ■ “I”
● The nature of its ■ “You”
sound/pronunciation is ‘small’ ■ Humans would have had to establish a
sounding level of ownership & social interaction
■ “Moon” ● Hocus Pocus Theory
● The word sounds deep ○ Language as an expression of religious and
○ One of the theories that are being fronted in spiritual symbols
researches today ■ There is no organized belief system
○ Critic: This is not generally accepted. Only before, but they have to develop certain
applicable in some Western words. likeness in worshiping spiritual beings
● Yo-he-ho theory ○ “Magical” sounds associated with certain
○ Language was derived from rhythmic chants, animals or inanimate objects for the purpose
perhaps from manual labor of religious praise
■ Some people tend to sing or ■ Hunting successfully & being able to
communicate in a specific manner when express thanks to higher beings for their
they’re working hunt & safety (religious & spiritual
■ Certain groups of people use a particular prayers)
language or sound to refer what they feel ● Eureka Theory
or want to talk about their work ○ Language was consciously invented
○ Language was a call for assistance or ■ Theorists believe that people really tried
cooperation to want to have a set of language that
○ Examples: allowed them to communicate better
■ “Heave-ho!” ○ Conscious assignment of arbitrary sounds to
■ “Hi Ho!” various objects
● Seven Dwarfs Work Song ■ Ex: A stone would be called a stone/rock
○ Our ancestors would’ve made less complex ■ They planned to give a word to this object
sounds but very distinguishable & ○ Criticism:
understandable to workers ■ Would human beings back then would
● Sing-song Theory actually be capable or conscious enough
○ Language comes from cooing, laughter, to do this?
courtship, play, etc. (social activities)
BEH SCI 145: Language and Human Behavior | Prof. Gaea Marelle Miranda | TFG & TFI Study Buddies <3

Question
1. In the context of the present/future, do you think
AI is nothing but a mere medium to convey
messages?
a. The technological aspect would want to
convey language
b. The potential of AI in doing research on
language is good
c. Even though it has potential, it poses
risks. In terms of changing the culture of
how we communicate or standardize our
norms, or normalize speaking with other
people.
d. E.g. using AI in communication: there
are robots that would facilitate language
that will be available in future
e. How would that limit our social
activities?
f. How will we facilitate socialization if that
is happening?

Activity: Timeline of Language Evolution

● Conduct your own research into the evolution of
language. Specify five significant events or
discoveries that led to our knowledge of language
as we know it today. Use the graphic organizer
below to explain your answer.