The origins of language (www.sciencedaily.com)

submitted 2 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Discussion at Language Log: https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=69311

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[-] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago

I think the chimp behavior is more analogous to combining syllables into words than combining words into sentences—inasmuch as the former process still yields a finite number of words, while the latter can generate an infinite number of sentences.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

That would require higher cognitive complexity though, wouldn’t it? Seems more rudimentary to attach simple meaning to simple sounds and combine those for “simple” extended meaning as opposed to having meaningless syllables create distinct words with distinct meanings.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah, maybe I should have said morphemes instead of syllables.

this post was submitted on 29 May 2025

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