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And what of human musicality?

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Commentary onWendy K.Wilkins and JennieWakefield (1995) Brain evolution and neurolinguistic preconditions. BBS 18:161–226.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 February 2010

Michael P. Lynch
Michael P. Lynch
Affiliation:
Department of Audiology & Speech Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907. Graduate School of Business, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637. mmlynch2@gsbpop.uchicago.edu
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Abstract

The hypothesized brain evolution and preconditions for language may have allowed for the emergence of musicality either simultaneously with or before the emergence of language. Music and language are parallel in their hierarchical, temporally organized structure, and the evolution of hierarchical representation in hominids may have provided the basis for musical representation. Because music could have been produced manually or vocally before the production of spoken language, it remains possible that language emerged from music and that music thus served as a communicative precursor to language.

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Continuing Commentary
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Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 19 , Issue 4 , December 1996, pp. 788
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Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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