Quote:
Originally Posted by HydrogenBond
Language is a means to communicate meaning between members of a group. But before language the individual could create an association based on internal visualization. I can see a bird, even if there was no word in my vocabulary for bird. If the bird was standing over there, I could transfer my internal visualization by pointing at it. But if I am thinking about a bird I saw a few hours ago and there is nothing tangible to show, then language becomes useful if I wished to transfer this internal visualization.
If you look at modern languages across the world, there may be hundreds of words for bird. If someone said the word for bird, in a unknown language, it is of little value to transfer meaning to me. This does not mean the other person can't visualize a bird. But if he drew the bird without words everyone in every language would know what this means. There is an internal association more fundamental than language. Children can see details in reality before they have enough language skills to express what they see. They are not limited to seeing only things they know the word for. We would not know they see the "52 Chevy" based on their ability to describe this without words. He can point and say "dar" but he may see this very specific version of a car containing unique details he has no words for. He can pick it out of a line up of cars and call it dar.
The oldest form of communication of internal visualization may have been a form of charades that is used body language and grunts. The person can visualize the elephant standing on the other side of the ridge. He also knows anyone can visualize this but he needs to get that image into their minds. Since there is not language yet he will need to draw it or try to act it out to communicate intent. This approach will work between all languages since it is not based on a specific language. The rest of the members are trying to guess with different images appearing in their minds. If there is a meeting of the minds a noise or sound may become the common audio link. This will speed up the charade the next time.
In modern times, males are more visual and females more verbal. It is very likely the males did the charades trying to express their visualization, while the females added sounds to help narrow down similar charades. The result was the first language.
Here is an example of modern visualization-charades. When small children gets hungry they often get moody. This is a type of unconscious charade using body language. One does not translate this charade based on the most superficial or outward behavior. Rather one needs to read between the lines. Hungry should be using a spoon and pretend to eat, not throwing toys around. The child doesn't even know he is hungry, but his body language is indirectly saying it. The mother would translate he is "hungry" This will be based on an induced visualization that the child will induce in her. It is likely early pre-language males were not good at charades or art. Therefore, swinging the arms may not mean temper tantrum but a bird flying. The other males are ready to fight. The matriarchs needed to read between the lines with maternal instinct or intuition able to know what he was thinking with their natural verbal ability tagging language association. The mother can sort of read her child's mind even when words are not yet useful to the child. She says, you are "tired" take a nap. Later the child, under similar situation understands "tired".
Once the males could combine their visualization with a working vocabulary, the development of language shifted more toward the males. The debate of the day was not an idea, concept, or theory, but a new word. Physical might, power, or standing in the community made them the expert in terms of the final say for a new sound association for a visualization. The noise "bird" is clearly superior to winged thing. The noise is not important but once this noise is a common link to the visualization it speeds conveying the internal visualization.
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Males are also known to have "Male Pattern Blindness" which can often lead to communication in the form of:
"Honey I've looked everywhere in the pantry and I can't find the Peanut Butter!?"
to which the Female comes and points silently to the Peanut butter on the shelf directly in front of his nose, and the male responds:
"Oh."
Males are also well known for their lack of communication skills as it relates to stopping to ask for directions, and ending up 300 miles from their intended destination.
Both of which, of course, are
clear indications of males' superior visual capabilities. ;P
