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The theory that language evolved from manual gestures, termed Gestural Theory, dates back to the work of 18th-century philosopher and priest Abbé de Condillac, and has been revived by contemporary anthropologist Gordon W. Hewes, in 1973, as part of a discussion on the origin of language. [4]
The gestural theory states that human language developed from gestures that were used for simple communication. Two types of evidence support this theory. Gestural language and vocal language depend on similar neural systems. The regions on the cortex that are responsible for mouth and hand movements border each other.
A child's hand location and movement being detected by a gesture recognition algorithm. Gesture recognition is an area of research and development in computer science and language technology concerned with the recognition and interpretation of human gestures.
The gestural theory states that speech was a relatively late development, evolving by degrees from a system that was originally gestural. Human ancestors were unable to control their vocalisation at the time when gestures were used to communicate; however, as they slowly began to control their vocalisations, spoken language began to evolve.
Gestures are distinct from manual signs in that they do not belong to a complete language system. [6] For example, pointing through the extension of a body part, especially the index finger to indicate interest in an object is a widely used gesture that is understood by many cultures [7] On the other hand, manual signs are conventionalized—they are gestures that have become a lexical element ...
Examples of articulatory gestures are the hand movements necessary to enunciate sign language and the mouth movements of speech. In semiotic terms, these are the physical embodiment (signifiers) of speech signs, which are gestural by nature (see below).
Tomasello was a professor of psychology and anthropology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, US, during the 1980s and 1990s. [3] Subsequently, he moved to Germany to become co-director of Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, and later also honorary professor at University of Leipzig and co-director of the Wolfgang Kohler Primate Research Center. [3]
Ray L. Birdwhistell (September 29, 1918 – October 19, 1994) was an American anthropologist who founded kinesics as a field of inquiry and research. [1] Birdwhistell coined the term kinesics, meaning "facial expression, gestures, posture and gait, and visible arm and body movements". [2]