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who asked the first question? - International Research Center For ...

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310consisting of precisely coordinated two-three-sound energetic phrases. All of <strong>the</strong>mentioned characteristics fit very well <strong>the</strong> requirements for <strong>the</strong> “lion dance” of ourhominid ancestors.• This long struggle for survival and safety measures must have been a powerfuldrive for our ancestors to live in bigger groups. Bigger groups meant not only moreeyes to see <strong>the</strong> predators and more fighters, but more singers, louder stamping and agenerally louder sound for <strong>the</strong> “lion dance”.• Scholars suggest that <strong>the</strong> bigger size of hominid groups must have been one of<strong>the</strong> most important factors leading to <strong>the</strong> development of more complex socialinteractions and <strong>the</strong> increase of human mental capacities (Aiello & Dunbar 1993; Dunbar,1996; Byrne & Whiten, 1988, 1992).• The same long struggle for survival against African predators could have beenone of <strong>the</strong> key factors in <strong>the</strong> gradual increase of <strong>the</strong> body size of <strong>the</strong> individualmembers of <strong>the</strong> group as well. If life on tree branches favored smaller and lighterindividuals (<strong>who</strong> could easily move through <strong>the</strong> trees and could escape leopard-likepredators on higher branches), moving down to <strong>the</strong> ground, where unlike <strong>the</strong> treebranches, different “weight categories” live side by side on <strong>the</strong> same level, favored biggerindivid uals <strong>who</strong> could not only shout louder, but were physically stronger as well.• And finally, I would like to propose that <strong>the</strong> origin of human rhythm mightprovide an evolutionarily background for future human language, as a pulsating andflowing rhythm must have prepared <strong>the</strong> appearance of both human music and language.Neurologically this suggestion makes good sense, as human rhythm is mostly located inour left hemisphere, and in <strong>the</strong> light of <strong>the</strong> very early origins of rhythm, it could haveplayed an instrumental role in transforming <strong>the</strong> primate ancestor of <strong>the</strong> Broca structureinto a human neurological basis for <strong>the</strong> human language.So, according to <strong>the</strong> suggested model, after our ancestors descended from <strong>the</strong>trees, <strong>the</strong>re were a few simple alternatives for <strong>the</strong>m to follow:(1) To stop “irresponsible” singing, grow bigger teeth and learn fast running for<strong>the</strong>ir lives;(2) To go back to <strong>the</strong> safe tree branches, and(3) To create bigger size groups and defend <strong>the</strong>mselves as a group.According to <strong>the</strong> evolutionary results, human ancestors did not stop singing, didnot grow bigger teeth, did not become great runners to outrun lions, and did not go backto <strong>the</strong> trees. We will never know <strong>the</strong> number of failed attempts in pursuing any of <strong>the</strong>seoptions during <strong>the</strong> millions of years of evolution, but according to <strong>the</strong> final result, those<strong>who</strong> opted for closer contacts between <strong>the</strong> group members, increasing <strong>the</strong> group size,cooperation and more effective means of group defence, were favored by evolution. Therest, as <strong>the</strong>y say, is history.

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