How did people communicate in an era without spoken language?

── And why did spoken language become the mainstream?

This time, I posed questions to ChatGPT and thought about it while engaging in a dialogue.

We are so accustomed to the feeling that "language equals speech" that
we tend to think that conversation is difficult without a voice.

However, looking back at human history,
the era when spoken language did not exist (or was underdeveloped) was far longer.

Means of communication in the era without spoken language

1. Gestures, hand signals, and actions themselves

This is the most primitive and most reliable method.

• Eat → Eating motion

• Danger → Pulling back sharply, pointing

• Come/Go → Body orientation or movement

This was not an "auxiliary" tool, but language itself.

Even now, there are situations where we convey meaning with our bodies before using words, aren't there?

2. Facial expressions, gaze, and body tension

Anger, fear, relief, and alertness.

These emotions appear on the face and body before they appear in speech.

In fact, for early humans,

• the ability to read facial expressions

• and the ability to sense changes in the atmosphere

were likely more directly linked to survival.

3. Pointing, positioning, and sharing space

To convey "where" something is and "what" is there,

• pointing

• shared gaze

• spatial arrangement

This alone conveys a significant amount of information.

It was an era where being in the same place itself was more important than words.

(4) The pre-stage of rhythm, sound, and voice

Even if it wasn't a complete language,

• grunts

• rhythm

• simple vocalizations

are thought to have existed.

However, these were not
• languages with grammar
, but rather sounds closer to emotions or signals.

What is important here is that at this point, not only "meaning" but also
"resonance" that reaches the body directly was being used.

The reason why spoken language still became mainstream

This is the main point.
Spoken language did not become mainstream because it was "superior."
It was because it happened to be the best fit for the environment and physical conditions.

(1) Can be used without using hands

Humans can

• hold tools

• perform tasks

• Moving around

In a life of
needing a means of communication that could be used even when hands were occupied was necessary.

Voice was,

• not using hands

• not fixing one's gaze

in that sense, it was a very good fit.

② Communicating even when not visible

Voice is,

• even in the dark

• even when facing away

• even if there are obstacles

it reaches to some extent.

In environments where visibility is limited such as forests, caves, or at night,
voice became a major strength.

③ More advantageous as groups grow larger

Humanity,

• families

• villages

• tribes

expanded their groups.

Voice is,

• Can be conveyed to multiple people at once

• Warnings and instructions reach others instantly

so, the larger the scale, the more efficient it was.

4. It was easy to standardize

Spoken language has the property of being

• easy to break down into units of sound

• understandable even if slightly different

.

This later became linked to

• common language

• education

• power

• writing

and became fixed as a "legitimate language."

Voice moves not only "meaning" but also the "situation"

Looking back at this, it seems that the reasons spoken language was chosen were not just

• speed

• reach

• simultaneity

.

The voice carries

• meaning

• emotion

• tension

• will

all together, and shakes the very air and the space itself.

This 'sensation of sound touching reality' is likely what became the foundation for the feeling later called
kotodama (the spirit of words).

What is important is that 'mainstream' does not equal 'essential'.

Just because spoken language became the mainstream,

• it does not mean that communication before that was immature

• or that other methods were inferior

in any way.

The essence of language is
sharing meaning

and speech may simply be one of many means to achieve that.

Conclusion

If human environments or bodies had been slightly different, the mainstream language might have taken a completely different form than it does today.

Precisely because speech has become the norm now, I feel there is still room to pause and think about 'what language is'.

💬 Afterword

Certainly, radio was born before television, and
when you want to make something known to a wider range of people simultaneously,
the 'voice' as a medium may have been very rational.

Like a town bulletin board,
・regardless of time
・at each person's own timing
written text is more suitable for things that need to be checked.

However,
if the goal is to "convey immediately" or "share in that very moment,"
the voice is still more powerful.

Depending on the purpose, voice and text properly divided their roles.
And I believe that the voice truly held something more than just meaning.