The origin of human multi-modal communication
Stephen C Levinson1, Judith Holler2
1Language and Cognition Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, 6525XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands Linguistics Department, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands stephen.levinson@mpi.nl.
Summary
Human communication is a layered system, not just speech. Understanding multi-modal signals reveals evolutionary origins and integrates gesture and speech, bridging the gap with animal communication.
Area of Science:
- Linguistics
- Evolutionary Biology
- Primatology
Background:
- Traditional focus on language (speech) creates a perceived gap between human and animal communication.
- Human communication is inherently multi-modal, embedded within interactional exchanges.
- Recent theories explore voluntary breathing and spoken language evolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To re-evaluate human communication by considering its layered, multi-modal structure.
- To explore the distinct phylogenetic and evolutionary origins of different communication layers.
- To reconcile competing hypotheses on the co-evolution of gesture and speech.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of communication systems.
- Review of recent evolutionary and developmental theories.
- Integration of multi-modal signaling within interactional frameworks.
Main Results:
- Human communication exhibits a layered structure with potentially diverse evolutionary origins.
- Different modalities play distinct roles but function as an integrated system.
- A unified perspective can reconcile gesture-first and co-evolutionary hypotheses.
Conclusions:
- Shifting focus to multi-modal interaction reveals a more nuanced view of human communication.
- The layered model accommodates diverse origins and integrated function of communication modalities.
- This framework offers a path to understanding the evolution of human communication, including gesture and speech.
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