From Body to Language: Gestural and Pantomimic Scenarios of Language Origin in the Enlightenment

Abstract Gestural and pantomimic accounts of language origins propose that did not develop directly from ape vocalisations, but rather its emergence was preceded by an intervening stage bodily-visual communication, during which our ancestors communicated with their hands, arms, the entire body. scenarios are again becoming popular in evolution research, this line thought has a long interesting history gained special prominence Enlightenment, often considered golden age glottogony. We highlight several themes key to reflection, such as idea innate communication consists visual bodily signs non-linguistic vocalisations; division labour between these two semiotic resources (with used for referential vocal emotional expression); or developmental trajectory bi-modal system determined transmission through generations users intervention social factors. confront ideas problems discussed current focusing on polysemioticity, sign function, conventionality modality transition (a postulated gestures speech course human phylogeny).