Evolving Communication

Allison Bell

Evolving Communications        

9/26/07

                                                                  Comparisons Jared Diamond and Bo Graslund

In comparing the agreements and disagreements of Jared Diamond and Bo Graslund on the evolution of human language, I found them to have several agreements and similarities and a few disagreements.

Jared Diamond and Bo Graslund share the belief that humans have evolved from primate ancestry. In the two readings, both men described how the evolution of language evolved from an evolutionary natural selection and that all humans originated from early primates.  Diamond, who discussed Darwin’s theory, stated “We evolved from animals lacking human speech, and then our language must have evolved and become perfect with time, along with the human pelvis, skull, tools and art.” (Diamond pg 141) Graslund’s theory was along the same path as Diamond’s when he included that, “In all its essentials human speech arose through evolutionary upgrading of what was already in the brain” (Graslund pg 107)

Both authors discuss human language advancement and how all human language began as the simplest grunts and evolved to long articulate sentences. “Early Homo erectus used recognizable single words, progressing after a million of years to two-word sentences that Homo sapiens before the had gotten as far as longer string of words but still without much grammar, and that syntax and full range of modern speech sounds arrived  only with the great leap.” (Diamond pg 142).  Graslund agreed with Diamond about evolution of speech, but went a step further in describing how it began. Graslund believed that in order for speech to evolve, bipedalism had to take place. “Bipedalism made a space in the throat and palate to broaden in such way that later made it possible to produce articulated sounds. (Graslund pg117)

Both articles described how humans have the capability for language wired in to the brain at birth. Equally agreeing that human language is more advanced compared to other animals, but they agree that communication does not exist strictly in humans. Diamond mostly goes into discussing the intricate communication systems of the Vervet monkeys from East Africa, which have the most sophisticated, “animal language.” Graslund feels that, “not only apes but elephants, dolphins and other whales have highly developed brains and advanced communication system” (Graslund pg123).

The two writers are very similar, but also very in their beliefs.  Diamond is a physiologist and Graslund is archeologist. Graslund, as an Archeologist, delves into human evolution, giving examples of how humans evolved, look and act up into the present day. He further discusses human skull structure and how it enables the ability for speech. “Some early human skulls have a clearer swelling at Brocas center, which would in that case suggest that they possessed a linguistic ability bigger, then that of a chimpanzee.”  

In comparison, Diamond doesn’t talk much about evolution in scientific terms.  He mostly gives examples of modern language, but does not delve as deeply into the historical evolution of human language as Graslund.  Diamond seems most interested in the discussion of specific human languages, such as French, Dutch, Portuguese and Melay. Graslund rarely discusses specific types of languages, but concentrates on human ability of speech from an evolutionarily point of view.