Music, language and the signalling of cognitive ability : an empirical investigation
First systematically discussed by Darwin (1871), theories of a musical precursor to language have seen a revival in recent years, with researchers such as Tecumseh Fitch, Stephen Brown, and Stephen Mithen invigorating the field. The view that language and music have an evolutionary relationship has been discussed in light of recent comparative, musicological, and biological findings. However, little empirical data have been presented to support such theories. This thesis aims to address this oversight, by presenting a novel experimental paradigm, which tests the prediction of a novel hypothesis for the evolution of language from a musical precursor. The aim of this thesis is to encourage discussion and provide a framework for the empirical investigation of musicâs role in the evolution of language. As a first step to addressing this relative dearth of empirical research, a hypothesis is outlined which describes a stable system of signalling cognitive ability through the transmission of culturally-learned, complex, music-like sequences. This is not hypothesised to have been semantically meaningful, rather a system which supported the honest transmission of information about the abilities of potential allies.
Murray, Keelin Margaret
musical protolanguage ; language evolution
Music, language and the signalling of cognitive ability : an empirical investigation. First systematically discussed by Darwin (1871), theories of a musical precursor to language have seen a revival in recent years, with researchers such as Tecumseh Fitch, Stephen Brown, and Stephen Mithen invigorating the field. The view that language and music have an evolutionary relationship has been discussed in light of recent comparative, musicological, and biological findings. However, little empirical data have been presented to support such theories. This thesis aims to address this oversight, by presenting a novel experimental paradigm, which tests the prediction of a novel hypothesis for the evolution of language from a musical precursor. The aim of this thesis is to encourage discussion and provide a framework for the empirical investigation of musicâs role in the evolution of language. As a first step to addressing this relative dearth of empirical research, a hypothesis is outlined which describes a stable system of signalling cognitive ability through the transmission of culturally-learned, complex, music-like sequences. This is not hypothesised to have been semantically meaningful, rather a system which supported the honest transmission of information about the abilities of potential allies.
music language signal cognitive_ability empirical_investigation first systematically discuss theories musical precursor language see revival researcher brown field view language music evolutionary relationship discuss_light recent comparative biological finding however_little empirical_data present support theory aim_address oversight present_novel experimental paradigm test prediction novel hypothesis evolution_language musical precursor aim encourage discussion provide_framework empirical_investigation music role evolution_language first_step address relative dearth empirical hypothesis outline describes stable system signal cognitive_ability transmission culturally learned complex music like sequence hypothesise semantically meaningful rather system support transmission information potential ally