Carly Field
There are many theories for the origin of human language, most involving evolution from our closest ancestors, primates, but this can’t account for all human language abilities. To understand and use a complex language, a species needs certain traits and cognitive abilities including the means for gestural and vocal communication, word learning, grammar, and problem solving skills, and the ability to grasp of theory of mind. Various species have demonstrated some of these capabilities, especially gorillas (Gorilla gorilla), chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus), border collies (Canis familiaris), bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncates), New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides), and western scrub jays (Aphelocoma californica), yet evolutionarily diverged from humans up to 300 million years ago. Therefore, I argue that human language abilities are a product of convergent evolution and the social function of intellect hypothesis, which states that the dynamics of society bring about higher levels of intelligence in a species. This is supported by evidence in their natural habitats compared with their intellectual capabilities when brought into a more complex, human society.