Could chimpanzees hold a key to the evolution of human language? A recent study reveals complex vocal combinations in our closest relatives. Researchers recorded thousands of vocalizations from ...

A new study looked at baby babble and the vocalizations of apes in an attempt to arrive at a discovery on the evolution of human language.

Our consciousness differs qualitatively from that of other species because our interactions with the world and each other through tools and language are also qualitatively unique.

All known human languages display a surprising pattern: the most frequent word in a language is twice as frequent as the second most frequent, three times as frequent as the third, and so on. This is ...

Young chimpanzees have a vocal ability that is also seen in human babies—one that is considered to be a key building block in language development—a study has revealed.

The origins of human language remain mysterious. Are we the only animals truly capable of complex speech? Are Homo sapiens the only hominids who could give detailed directions to a far-off ...

The study reveals four ways in which chimpanzees alter meanings when combining single calls into 16 different two-call combinations, analogous to the key linguistic principles in human language.

A new study suggests that the NOVA1 gene may have been a key player in the evolution of human language.

Tiny filler words in human rapid-fire conversation hold the key to understanding how language is unique, according to a new book. But anthropologist Barbara J. King raises some questions.

Could chimpanzees hold a key to the evolution of human language? A recent study reveals complex vocal combinations in our closest relatives. Researchers recorded thousands of vocalizations from wild ...