The Danger of Inter-preting the Indirect Evidences on the Evolution of Language: right-handedness and the linguistic capability of the Neanderthals
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Published:
08-05-2012
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Vol 17 (2011), Articles
Submitted: 08-05-2012
Accepted: 08-05-2012
Published: 08-05-2012
Abstract
Much ink has been spilt to discuss linguistic capabilities of Homo neanderthalensis. Many different arguments have been brought to the fore as regards those capabilities. Recently, Frayer & al. (2010, 2011) have argued that Neanderthals had linguistic capabilities similar to those found in humans today. Both papers are undoubtedly worth considering, because they judge their conclusion to be supported by several independent lines of evidence (right-handed-ness, anatomy, modern behavior, symbolism or fossil DNA). Our paper aims at showing, from a methodological perspective, that caution is required when dealing with indirect evidence on language evolution. We will argue that none of those lines of evidence is conclusive enough to claim that Neanderthals were endowed with complex language.
Keywords:
Language, Neanderthals, right-handedness, lateralization, symbolism, FOXP2
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