Eli5: How did we invent words? What makes words to be considered a certain meaning?
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The origin of language is lost in the mists of ancient history of other human species than ours. Scientists use bird calls, monkey calls (they differ if an eagle or a snake approaches), bird song, dolphin and whale communication (not well understood), elephant communication (often outside human hearing range), and study of chimps and bonobos and gorillas in captivity (who are adept at sign language but scientists are still arguing if they can string together sentences with proper grammar or instead string together words at random). Dogs can understand human spoken grammar but do not have the vocal apparatus for our speech, too, so it appears that some of the brain areas needed existed pre-human, but the assumption is that brain development and vocal tract both evolved in ways that were reinforcing.
Drawing conclusions about speech ability of other human species is no easy task but some of the tiny bones in Neanderthals and the angle of the throat have lead to speculation.
Presumably the first word was “Mama” if human language is any indication.
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