Human language is one of the most distinctive capabilities of our species, yet its origin remains an unresolved mystery. A recent genetic analysis suggests that the linguistic ability of human beings was already present at least 135,000 years ago, although its use in social contexts may have emerged around 100,000 years ago.
The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, was conducted by a multidisciplinary team of researchers. Among them are Shigeru Miyagawa, emeritus professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); Rob DeSalle, from the Institute for Comparative Genomics at the American Museum of Natural History; and other experts from the universities of São Paulo, Zürich, and Arizona.
Unlike other studies that have relied on fossil records or cultural artifacts, this new analysis is based on a different premise. The researchers argue that since all modern languages share a common origin, the key to estimating their antiquity lies in determining when human populations around the world began to diverge.
The logic is very simple, explains Miyagawa. All human populations possess language, and all languages are related. If we analyze when human populations began to separate geographically, we can deduce that linguistic ability already existed before that point.
To reach this conclusion, the research team reviewed 15 genetic studies published over the past 18 years. These studies include three that analyzed the Y chromosome inherited through the paternal line, three that examined mitochondrial DNA transmitted through the maternal line, and nine studies of complete genomes. Based on this information, the researchers estimated that the first major regional division of human beings occurred approximately 135,000 years ago, implying that linguistic ability must have emerged before or around that time.
One of the most interesting aspects of the study is the idea that language may have first existed as an internal cognitive system before becoming a means of social communication. Language is both a cognitive system and a communication system, notes Miyagawa. It is likely that before 135,000 years ago, it began as a private system within human thought, but it quickly transformed into a communication tool.
Archaeological records also support this hypothesis. Around 100,000 years ago, evidence of widespread symbolic activity among different human groups appears, such as engravings on objects and the use of red ochre for decorative purposes. These behaviors suggest abstract and organized thinking, characteristics associated with language use.
Ian Tattersall, another co-author of the study and curator emeritus of human origins at the American Museum of Natural History, has argued that language was a triggering factor for the development of symbolic thought and other forms of advanced social organization. In this sense, language would not only have been a communication tool but also a catalyst for modern human behavior.
Language was the trigger for modern human behavior, says Miyagawa. It stimulates thought and facilitates innovation. If we are correct, this means that learning and the transmission of knowledge were greatly enhanced by language.
Despite the strength of the study’s conclusions, the authors themselves acknowledge that there are other perspectives on the evolution of language. Some researchers argue that language development was a gradual and incremental process, linked to tool-making, social coordination, and environmental adaptation. From this perspective, language would not be the central factor but rather part of a set of changes that transformed Homo sapiens.
Miyagawa recognizes that there is still much to discover but believes that the genetic data-based approach represents a significant advancement. Our methodology is based on empirical evidence and the most up-to-date understanding of Homo sapiens evolution, he explains. We are on a promising research path, and we hope this will encourage further studies on the relationship between language and human evolution.
SOURCES
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Shigeru Miyagawa, Rob DeSalle, et al., Linguistic capacity was present in the Homo sapiens population 135 thousand years ago. Front. Psychol. , 11 March 2025. Sec. Evolutionary Psychology, Volume 16 – 2025. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1503900
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