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Non-Human Primates and Language Kimberly Porter Martin, Ph.D. Primate Family Tree Ape Family Tree Primate Characteristics • Larger brains than other mammals (Brain/Body ratio) • Stereoscopic vision • Color vision • Opposible thumbs (and big toes) • Prehensile grip • Nails rather than claws • Longer developmental period than other mammals Differences between Humans and Apes • Language? • Bipedalism? • Culture? Present Vs Absent? Capacity Vs Complexity? 16 Features of Language 1)Uses the Vocal-auditory channel can be done while doing other things 2)Uses broadcast transmission - need not see speaker to understand message 3)Uses directional reception stereoscopic sound locates speaker 4)Interchangeability - each is capable of saying what any other says - not so male vs female signals in other animals 16 Features of Language 5) Complete feedback - speaker hears self and monitors message 6) Specialization - is used for no other purpose than communication 7) Semanticity – many complex symbols tied to exact meanings 8) Arbitrariness - no intrinsic relationship between symbols and their meanings 16 Features of Language 9) Discreteness - no continuous sounds (eg. sirens) 10) Displacement - can talk about the past, or about things not present spatially 11) Open system - can make unique new statements and be understood 12) Duality of patterning - sound and meaning are linked 16 Features of Language 13) Cultural transmission - no genetic inheritance of specific rules/sounds/meanings 14) Prevarication - can lie - most animals cannot 15) Reflexiveness - we use language to discuss language 16) Learnability - can learn multiple language Brain Specialization Of all animals, only humans and apes have been found to have lateralized brains Language Parts of the Brain Wernicke’s Area • Receives speech from primary auditory area and decodes speech Broca’s Area • develops speech and sends it to the motor cortex Geschwind’s Territory • at the junction of the auditory, visual, and somatosensory cortexes • neurons in this lobule can process different kinds of stimuli (auditory, visual, sensorimotor, etc.) simultaneously. • doesn’t fully develop until about five years of age • classifying, labeling, thinking abstractly, forming concepts. Arcuate fasiculus • Bundle of neurological connections between three areas Left Cortex Language Areas Inferior parietal lobule AKA Geschwind’s Territory Genes and Language Two links between specific genes and language: 1. The FoxP2 Gene 2. ASPM and Microcephalin Genes FoxP2 • Discovered through one family(the “KE” family), half of whom had a defect in that gene and could not speak • The KE family was of Pakistani origin living in Britain • In 37 members in 4 generations, 15 suffered specific language impairment FoxP2 • Patterns of inheritance indicated standard dominant/recessive inheritance, not sex chromosome inheritance. • Fox P2n is Located on a short segment of chromosome 7 • each of us inherits two copies of the FOXP2 gene: one from our mother, and one from our father • both copies must be intact for our language functions to be normal. FoxP2 • responsible for producing a protein called a transcription factor. • transcription factors bind to DNA molecules to turn other genes off and on. • Broca’s area and the caudate nuclei (regulates motor control) are smaller than in normal people • trouble in identifying some elementary sounds of language, • trouble in understanding sentences and using grammar ASPM and Microcephalin • These genes are associated with increased brain size • Mutations at these sites cause primary microcephaly, a developmental defect with severe reduction in the cerebral cortex— (planning, abstract reasoning and other higher brain functions). • Microcephalin was more involved in evolution of primate brain size (prosimians to monkeys) • ASPM more involved in late evolutionary step leading to humans. ASPM and Microcephalin Both genes are thought to affect brain development. Older versions of these genes are found in tonal language populations. (Half of the world’s language are tonal including many in Asia, Southeast Asia and Sub Saharan Africa). New versions of these genes are found in non-tonal language populations. Tonal Language Example Mandarin Tone Use Word Intonation ba [/] ba [--] ba [\/] ba [\] Meaning to uproot eight to hold a harrow Genes and Language The newer version of ASPM is traced back to 5800 years ago. The newer version of Microcephalin is traced back to 37,000 years ago. (Dan Dediu and Robert Ladd of the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, May 2007) When did language first appear in humans? ????????? Australopithecus vs. Homo habilis Homo habilis 600 cc Australopithecus 400 cc Homo erectus Homo erectus lived between 1.5 and .5 million years ago. They hunted large game and gathered plant foods. (Artists rendition based on skeletal and muscular reconstruction.) Homo neanderthalensis Neanderthals lived between 200,000 and 28,000 years ago in what is now Europe and the Middle East. There is evidence that they may have buried their dead, and that they may have had other religious rituals. (Artists rendition based on skeletal and muscular reconstruction.) Why Language? Why Language? Why Language? Bipedalism Skeletal differences between: • Chimpanzee • Australopithecus • Homo sapiens Bipedalism Bipedalism From right, H. erectus, H. habilis, 2 species of Australopithecus and Ardipithecus. Unertan Syndrome • In Turkey in 2006, one family of 19 with 5 affected members: mental retardation, reduced cerebellum in brain, primitive language capabilities, quadrupedal locomotion. • Five unrelated additional families since discovered, one of these in another part of Turkey. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9qMm 47YV6Y Features of Culture • • • • Requires abstract thinking Must be learned/acquired Allows flexibility and innovation Needs long developmental period for learning • Requires larger and more complex brains The Cultured Ape • • • • • • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTeLsEGPjdU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9kiJ7wnANQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqJO9avJRLc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovUggMyWlSI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBjAfdn-8OU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB3yoZAHAw