Language Among the Topsy-Turvy

In the last post I commented on the paper “Wild Voices” byChris Knight andJerome Lewis inCurrent Anthropology. The article focuses on the social changes that were required to make language possible. The changes should be generally familiar to regulars on this blog.The main one is the switch from a society based on dominance and submission to a community held together by trust and a willingness to cooperate.These behavioral changes have been accompanied by several biological changes as well. One, mentioned before on this blog, is the switch from black to white eyes that make it easy to see where one ’s attention is focused. A couple of important reflexive changes have occurred as well. For example, apes respond to threats from others with a reflexive “fear grin” that indicates a nervous submission. That reflex has been transformed into the human smile which signals a relaxed good-humor in friendly company.And laughter provides a weird combination of friendliness and aggression. An example of that not mentioned in the paper is the late night TV anti-Trump satire that bonds the laughing audience while humiliating its target.  The authors speak of a “principle of reversal,” i.e., a series of steps that result in a reversal of the old ape standard to something new. The change of the grin to a smile, turned a signal of submissive fear into one of confident trust.Other reversals saw mothers who never let anyone else touch their infant become mothers who let many other...

Source: Babel's Dawn - July 17, 2017 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Blair Source Type: blogs