TITLE:
Did the Neanderthals Produce Complex Speech?
AUTHORS:
Krzysztof Izdebski, Herbert Dedo, Raul M. Cruz, Alysson R. Muotri
KEYWORDS:
Modern Human-Like Hyoid Bone, Speech Development, Neanderthals
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Modern Linguistics,
Vol.11 No.6,
November
26,
2021
ABSTRACT: Purpose: Paleoanthropologists link the discovery of the modern human-like hyoid bone (HB) in Neanderthal skeleton remains at Kebara Cave (Israel) as the pivotal evolutionary step associated with speech development. This finding is cited as evidence Neanderthals produced complex speech, yet this association remains controversial. Conclusion: Here, we present clinical and scientific evidence challenging the pivotal role of the HB in producing speech, and suggest that CNS development was more fundamental than the presence of HB to speech production.