evolutionary defect?

Myspace blog: Thursday, September 18, 2008

So this particular word-whore must have evolved in a fashion atypical to most humans... I know, I know: who would be surprised by such an admission from moi? In all my language questioning, in all my searching, there is apparently an entire facet to language development that I've never even considered--that of gesture. I've played the whole 'word'/'speech' game (chicken vs. egg) without giving due attention to a third, highly plausible option: that of physical communication. There seems to be an entire school of thought that language originated neither in verbal NOR written forms; rather, it began as hand signals, arm sweeps, and other physical expressions etc.In written research, the explanation arises that "gesturing" was seen by some scientists as too lowly a predecessor to spoken language; accepting signing as a valid means of expression leaves a less clearly-defined boundary between "us" (the intelligent, powerful humans) and "them" (the 'lesser' animals). In short, linguists find it more convenient to say that the gifts of advanced communication and abstract expression are what make us superior to and distinct from all other living beings.But the book I'm reading for my Anthropology class has led me to consider this third idea. Its arguments and examples are impressive, but I can't help but feel completely blindsided by this one. How did I miss this all-important component?All I can say in my defense is that, due to my romantic (dare I say 'illicit'?) involvement with words, I rarely rely on gesturing to the extent that some people do. My mom, for example, is nearly incapable of communicating WITHOUT using her hands. It's really kind of funny to watch. We've experimented with trying to get her to sit on her hands while she talks, and she's never made it further than 1 1/2 sentences before the hands pop back up and in motion.But I write. I write a LOT. and I speak. OFTEN. And all the research that says that humans revert to signalling/signing when words fail them (when they're too excited, when speaking another language where translation proves difficult, when exasperated with trying to get a point across...), but such is not my personal experience. I mean, I do think that I am an 'animated' person, but if I can't say it in words, I grunt or scream or moan or breathe audibly in some way. Gesturing is NOT my default mechanism.Add it to the list of my oddities.How do you say what you want to say? How 'evolved' are you?! :)
Currently reading : Next of Kin: My Conversations with Chimpanzees By Roger Fouts Release date: 1998-09-01