It's because you don't and is reasonably separate from evolution.
The language evolves and is past down through the generations. each generation adds to the language and thus gets more detailed and complex.
Evolution question...
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It's because you don't and is reasonably separate from evolution.
The language evolves and is past down through the generations. each generation adds to the language and thus gets more detailed and complex.
On what evidence do you base this?
I very much doubt that. we didn't even speak standard English in this country till a few hundred years ago.
As language is passed down and changed each generation. there is no reason why any two groups would have the same language as the language evolves totally sepratley and in vastly different areas.
Notice the question mark.
Man of Honour
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I noticed you missed the author of that book. I wouldn't recommend a Dawkins book for the basics of evolution.
Soldato
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Development of spoken language from primal forms of communication is a very slow process, happening probably over tens or hundreds of millennia. More advanced forms of communication require similarly advanced cognitive abilities, something that is limited by the advance of genetics (evolution).
By contrast, if you were to spawn a civilisation of humans at their current evolutionary stage with no knowledge of spoken language, I expect a language of some form – at least a rudimentary one – would develop fairly quickly; most likely within a few tens of generations.
Because such variations in media of communication can only arise between far more complex 'languages'? There's really not much scope for variation in how animals communicate with each other.
Soldato
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Language is actually on another evolutionary path, separate from the physical process that stems from DNA. Look up "Memetics" for more.
As has been said previously, language could be called a social evolution, which will mutate over time based on the population it relies upon, with isolated groups varying accordingly.
With modern communication and technology such as computers and the internet, some of these languages are converging (notably the German language).
With modern communication and technology such as computers and the internet, some of these languages are converging (notably the German language).
I know we were struggling a little bit in the other thread but the first three questions here actually surprise me. The answers to these questions are relatively obvious and unless you take a literal view of the bible and the tower of babel story shouldn't actually be too taxing or require much research or thought beyond observation.
1) we did evolve, there is no "if" - do yourself a favour and abandon the strict creationist nonsense that will only keep you in the dark - language evolves and continues to evolve - we are talking time spans here
2) i hope that is a joke re spanish - yes language continues to evolve - this is obvious even within a generation
3) see above and open your ears
4) this is the only one of your questions which requires an arguably subjective answer - my view is that soul is a fiction made up to fill those grey areas we were discussing earlier
Woah hold on there. Micro evolution certainly happens, we have seen it. But as far as I know we have not seen a jump from one species to another. Until then it certainly stays in the theory category. although99.9% probable.
Because it seems incomprehensible that anyone could seriously ask the questions you did.
Fair enough but I think for the purposes of answeing this question, given the way the questions was asked, simple might be useful.
It is all cumulative, as vocal apparatus and mental capacity grew the ability to widen the range of vocal noises that later become words etc.
No, the ABILITY to talk (vocal equipment) comes from your huge evolutionary time span, your ability to speak a certain language comes from the nurture of a parent or guardian. Nature and Nurture there.
Evolution is an amazingly lengthy process spanning generations and generations of offspring - while micro-evolution has occurred within the world evolution on the grand scale you appear to be thinking of will not be visible to the naked eye, or at least in your lifetime.
Well this one is a very subjective question - and I can't really answer it. If I were to in a broad sense it would be that we all do have one, or don't but then I am not religious and wouldn't abide by that kind of rule.
Rich
well the first three aren't, are they? and CLAIMED!!! my first minion - welcome
Yeah, I mean he's only an evolutionary biologist, what would he know about the subject.