Comparative vocal tract between human and chimps that related to speech - Research Paper Example

Download file to see previous pages Our intellect has been gifted and even though chimpanzees have the ability to learn from humans, they are not able to make speech (Trask, 2004, p. 17). Chimps learn to communicate through sign languages. Humans can talk, discuss events, and share their knowledge of the past, present or future which distinguishes them from all other animals.
With the evolution of man, there have been many changes in the biological structures as well. This is evidently seen when talking about vocal tracts which have formed as the humans evolved. Physical organs of the body have also been a part of the evolutional changes and processes. Thus, the human language is also a product of these biological changes and developments. A comparison of the vocal tracts of the chimps and humans can show clearly the differences that biological changes have brought in the language and communication abilities of these two species. This research will analyze the biological differences between the chimps and humans’ vocal tracts and how this has shaped the speech and language.
The auditory atmosphere of the primates includes vocalizations that are produced by conspecific individuals and those vocalizations are known as conspecific vocalizations (CV). The non-human primates tend to have a rich vocal repertoire through which they interact and talk with other members belonging to their social group. They also use them for alarm calls and territorial calls and many have such loud voices that they can also be heard at a distance. These individuals may have different sorts of vocalizations and sounds depending on their size, type, and habitat. They are exposed daily to several CVs from different callers. On the contrary, in modern societies of humans, there are voices everywhere. These voices are present physically in the form of individual conversations and interactions ...Download file to see next pagesRead More