Re: Singing as prerequisite (or aid) to language.

The Skinnerian (i.e., correct) view would be that singing and verbal
behavior ("language" sort of) arose at the same time. Indeed, both would be
verbal behavior by the Skinnerian definition. Simply put, all that is
necessary is for the vocal musculature to come under control of operant
contingencies. No doubt operant conditioning mechanisms were already highly
advanced (i.e., we were already "smart") when the necessary mutation made
the vocal musculature "conditionable."



"Anthony Cerrato" <tcerrato@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:d8kgst$bn3$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> A few weeks ago I saw a David Attenborough documentary (not
> sure now if it was PBS, Discovery, or Nat. Geographic
> channels) on song in certain animals, namely baboons, and I
> think [?]woodpeckers, whales, and sumptin' else [I came in
> towards the end so I missed a lot.] Attenborough stated that
> he thought the development/practice of songs may well have
> been an early precursor to development of language in homo
> sap., maybe going back as far as 50-70 kyrs in proto-humans.
> It seemed a very pleasing hypothesis to me, but I wonder if
> anyone knows how much credibility is given to this idea by
> the other experts in the field, and if there is any real
> reasonable scientific evidence for it
> Any info or opinions? ...tonyC
>
>



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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Singing as prerequisite (or aid) to language.
    ... > nightingales have language. ... Modern singing humans are engaging ... > definition of verbal behavior would be something like "verbal behavior ... > is it a reinforcer because the "singing" controls the behavior of the ...
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  • Re: Singing as prerequisite (or aid) to language.
    ... > nightingales have language. ... > definition of verbal behavior would be something like "verbal behavior ... > is it a reinforcer because the "singing" controls the behavior of the ... In some song acquisition, it appears ...
    (sci.bio.evolution)
  • Re: Singing as prerequisite (or aid) to language.
    ... > behavior ("language" sort of) arose at the same time. ... > would be verbal behavior by the Skinnerian definition. ... > that is necessary is for the vocal musculature to come under control ... The alternative hypothesis is that we had singing before we became ...
    (sci.bio.evolution)
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