A genomic study suggests our unique capacity for language emerged at least 135,000 years ago, according to recent research published in Frontiers in Psychology. This groundbreaking study offers insight not only about when language capabilities may have developed but also sheds light on how these abilities are connected to human evolution.
Language, as we know it, likely entered social use around 100,000 years ago, marking the dawn of complex communication among early Homo sapiens. The human species, which is approximately 230,000 years old, has long been the subject of inquiry when it concerns the origins of language. Varied estimates exist, with some scholars positing dates ranging from merely thousands to millions of years based on fossil records and artifacts.
The authors of the new analysis, including co-authors Shigeru Miyagawa from MIT and Rob DeSalle from the American Museum of Natural History, take the inquiry beyond prior methods. They suggest all human languages share common roots, emphasizing genetic bonds among regions. “The logic is very simple,” says Miyagawa. “Every population branching across the globe has human language, and all languages are related.” Due to genomic data reflecting the geographic divergence of human groups, researchers concluded, “we can say with a fair amount of certainty” about the language capacity existing at least 135,000 years ago.
The study involved the examination of 15 genetic studies accumulated over nearly two decades. notable for its comprehensive approach, three studies utilized data from the inherited Y chromosome, another three looked at mitochondrial DNA, and the remaining nine focused on whole-genome analyses. The results suggest the initial branching of modern humans, potentially the first signs of separate languages developing, occurred around 135,000 years ago.
Miyagawa explains, “The first survey of this type was performed by other scholars in 2017, but they had fewer existing genetic studies to draw upon. Now, we have much more data to highlight this timeframe.” He also noted the growing consensus within the study community backing the 135,000-year marker as the likely origin point of global human languages.
Interestingly, the emergence of symbolic communication is dated to around 100,000 years ago, displaying behaviors consistent with the use of language. Miyagawa asserts, “Language was the trigger for modern human behavior. We can infer its role must have significantly enabled innovations and social collaborations as people began learning from one another.”
Despite collective agreement on some timelines, there's also recognition of multiple perspectives on this evolutionary development. Some scholars theorize about broader incremental changes occurring around 100,000 years, detailing how language might have played a role without being the pivotal element. “There is considerable room for more examination,” Miyagawa concedes, considering this research just one piece of the larger puzzle of language and human cognition.
But language is not merely about the combination of words. Further investigations around communication systems take us to studies focusing on genetics. Recently, scientists inserted what’s referred to as the human “language gene” NOVA1, first identified as influencing vocal communication, directly inside mice. This groundbreaking exploration provides intriguing hints about the evolution of complex vocalization strategies.
Research led by Robert Darnell and his laboratory team at Rockefeller University demonstrated how baby mice possessing the human variant of the NOVA1 gene exhibited distinct vocalization patterns compared to their unmodified counterparts. “All baby mice make ultrasonic squeaks to their moms, and language researchers categorize the varying squeaks as four ‘letters’—S, D, U, and M,” said Darnell. Not only did modified pups make different squeaks when calling, the adult mice, during mating calls, produced complex high-frequency vocal patterns very much unlike those of unaltered mice.
These remarkable vocal shifts arise from the human-specific variant at position 197 (I197V) within the NOVA1 protein chain. Unlike Neanderthals and Denisovans, who lacked this gene alteration, modern Homo sapiens benefited from evolutionary advantages tied to vocalization. Darnell speculates on the evolutionary significance, stating, “This population then left Africa and spread across the world; our closer relatives simply lacked the genetic tools to sustain comparable vocal communication.”
The insights sparked by this study bolster the theory of how unique human language capabilities may have shaped cultural evolution and facilitated social dynamics among our ancestors, pushed forth by genetic adaptations unique to humans.
Many scientists acknowledge the challenge of encapsulating the complete evolution of language and vocal communication but agree the studies surrounding the NOVA1 gene act as converging data cataloging human progression and specialization in language craft. Darnell emphasizes, “We did not expect this discovery. It surprises researchers greatly and opens many doors for future studies investigating language development.”
Both areas of investigation eventually align to address fundamental questions about what differentiates us from other creatures; whether through society, genetics, or cognitive abilities, the enchanting complexity of human communication continues to reveal layers of our evolutionary story.