The Origins Of Human Speech
Scientists have searched for the origins of human speech in the hoots, grunts, and other vocalizations made by primates. It would seem to make sense, after all, that such sounds may be related to the more varied and articulated sounds we humans make. But there are significant differences.
For example, human speech is learned, made using controlled and rapid movements of the tongue, lips, and jaw. Primatevocalizations, on the other hand, are not learned but innate.
So some researchers are now considering the hypothesis that human speech evolved not from primate sounds but more from monkey facial gestures.
Specifically, scientists are interested in how monkeys smack their lips to communicate. Using x ray movies, researchers at Princeton and the University of Vienna have found that primate lip smacking is much more complex than it appears. Like human speech, lip smacking requires quick, controlled movements of the lips, tongue, jaw, and hyoid bone, which supports the larynx and tongue.
For example, if you’ve been to a zoo you’ve probably seen chimps making loud lip smacks and buzzing sounds, like blowing a raspberry. Scientists believe that these sounds are a controlled form of chimp communication.
This research doesn’t quite solve the puzzle of the evolution of human speech. But it is a fascinating clue that the way we speak may have developed from a combination of sounds produced by the vocal cords and by rapid, controlled movements of the vocal tract, including lips, tongue and jaw.
人类语言的起源
科学家一直在通过研究灵长类动物发出的鸣响声、呼噜声以及其他发音来探寻人类语言的起源。这似乎很有道理，毕竟这些声音与人类发出的更加多变、更加清晰的声音有相似之处。其实，两者之间还是有很大不同的。
比如，人类语言是后天习得的，人类通过控制舌头、嘴唇和下颚间的快速运动来发声。而灵长类动物的发音则是天生而非后天形成的。
因此，一些研究人员现在做出假设：人类语言并不是从灵长类动物的声音进化而来，而是从猴子的面部表情进化而来的。
科学家对于猴子如何通过唇动来相互交流尤其感到兴趣。美国普林斯顿大学和奥地利维也纳大学的研研究人员通过使用X射线视频发现，灵长目动物的唇动要比看上去复杂的多。它们的唇动和人类语言一样需要控制嘴唇、舌头、下颚以及支撑喉头和舌头的舌骨之间快速运动来发声。
举个例子，如果你去过动物园，你可能看到过大猩猩发出很响的'咂嘴声和嗡嗡声，就像在嘲弄你一般。科学家相信这些声音是大猩猩沟通的一种形式。
这项研究并不能真正揭开人类语言进化的谜团，但是却提供了一个非常有用的线索，那就是人类说话的方式可能是从声带和声道（由嘴唇、舌头和下颚组成）的快速运动产生的声音组合发展而来的。
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