Presentation - European Society of Human Evolution - Florence, 18-20 september 2014

1. Biological
constraints
and
evolu1on
of
language:
a
hypothesis
on
the
exapta1on
of
human
vocal
structures
Alessandra
Falzone,
Alessandra
Anastasi,
Antonino
Pennisi
Dept.
of
Cogni7ve
Sciences
University
of
Messina

2. Biological
evolution
Adaptation
Structure 1
Structure 2
Structure n
Exaptation
Structure 1
Function 1 Function 2 Function n
Cultural
evolution
Function 1
Social
adaptation
Function 2
Exaptation
Structure 1
Evolution of
Sintax
Evolution of
Semantics
Evolution of
Pragmatics
Evolution of
Linguistic
function n.
Function n
Biological
evolution
Adaptation
Structure 1
Biological constraints
Structure 2
Social
Adaptation
Function 1 Function n
Evolution of
Sintax
Evolution of
Semantics
Evolution of
Pragmatics
Evolution of
Linguistic
function n.

3. Constraints:
What
are
they?
Possible
=
scolopendra
with
an
odd
number
of
pairs
of
feet
scolopendra
Impossible
=
scolopendra
with
an
even
number
of
pairs
of
feet

4. Morphological
con7nuity
Singing
primates
Gamba,
M.
(2014),
Human
speech
to
primate
vocaliza3ons
and
the
way
back,
(Codisco,
2013)
Double
network
of
language
Pennisi,
A.
(2006),
Cogni3ve
sciences
of
language,
(Il
Mulino,
2006)
Cogni7ve
species-­‐specificity
Paleoanthropological
evidences
Ethological
species-­‐specificity
Auditory-­‐vocal
technology
Pennisi,
A.-­‐
Falzone,
A.
(2014),
Residuals
of
Intelligent
Design
in
contemporary
theories
about
language
nature
and
origins
(“HumanaMente”,
2014)
Biological
constraints
of
language

5. SVT:
first
func1on
and
exapta1on
-­‐ Size
Body
Exaggera7on
Hyphotesis
(Fitch
2010);
-­‐ Protec7ng
the
breathing
apparatus
(Aiello
1996)
and
holding
of
intrathoracic
pressure
(“valvular
larynx”-­‐
Mithen
2006);
-­‐ Oral
adapta7ons
for
diving
and
swallowing
soU
and
slippery
foods
(Verhaegen
2013).

6. Exapta1on
for
language:
peripheral
and
central
constraints
Con7nuous
modula7on
of
formants
and
speech
segmenta7on
(Lieberman
Ph.
2006,
Gamba
2012);
Muscles
fibers
(slow
tonic
fiber
of
mylohioid
and
thyroaritenoid
muscles)
(Mu
et
al.
2004;
Sherwood
et
al.
2005)
Brain
fine
coordina7on
of
breath,
SVT
with
func7onal
aspects
(syntax,
seman7cs,
pragma7cs)
(Dele7s
et
al.
2014;
Espadaler
et
al.
2012;
Jurgens,
2002
)

7. Exapta1on
for
language:
peripheral
and
central
constraints

8. Exapta1on
for
language:
peripheral
and
central
constraints

9. Exapta1on
for
language:
peripheral
and
central
constraints

10. What
does
mean
being
speech-­‐ready
?

11. GRAZIE!