From: Gerry Reinhart-Waller
Message: 1472
Date: 2000-02-13
>Glen, could you possibly explain what the problem is with the tongue and
> >Perhaps the old "monkey see, monkey do" can be applied to raft
> >building. Or perhaps the ole group meme has a mind of its own. I
> >recall an old tale from the Tlingit of the Pacific Northwest in >which a
> >group of males without uttering a single word knew when and >how to gather
> >for a whale kill. Wondering whether those early folks >had a template for
> >raft building in their heads?
> >Gerry
>
> Well, all I know is that chimps get along remarkably without "language" in
> the vocal sense of the word. I don't see why making rafts has to be
> something that requires vocal language. It can certainly be copied by others
> who observe those who know how to make one. As for sailing off to another
> island, this doesn't have to be something that the group _decided_ upon. It
> could have been accident.
>
> Even so, it is still not beyond a doubt whether or not these people had or
> hadn't vocal language. I would have thought that they were biologically
> incapable of the vocal language skills we have because of their tongue and
> vocal chords? One would expect sign language or even body language like
> among chimps to be a better tool of communication for them.
>
> - gLeN
>
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