Orangutan squeaks reveal language evolution, says study

by Dramelin 12:00 AM 0 comments

Dr Adriano Reis e Lameira from Durham University recorded and analysed almost 5,000 orangutan "kiss squeaks". "Kiss squeaks do not involve vocal fold action, so they`re acoustically and articulatory consonant-like," explained Dr Reis e Lameira. There has been very little study of consonants in language research, but as Prof Serge Wich from Liverpool John Moores University, a lead author in the study, explained, they are crucial building blocks in the evolution of language. "Building blocksThe team studied kiss squeaks in particular because, like many consonants - the /t/, /p/, /k/ sounds - they depend on the action of the lips, tongue and jaw rather than the voice. "Human language is extraordinarily advanced and complex - we can pretty much transmit any information we want into sound," said Dr Reis e Lameira.