Portrait of a Neanderthal man tending a fire in a primitive shelter, embodying protection and provider instincts.

Our imaginations often fill in the gaps about Neanderthals, a group for which we have no written records, including whether they could speak and how they might have communicated.

Historical Consensus and Recent Challenges

Historically, the consensus suggested that Neanderthals lacked the capability for speech. This view, however, was based on limited evidence and often framed within the context of human evolution theory, which needed a "subhuman" category that Neanderthals conveniently filled.

In recent years, this consensus has been challenged. In 2018, researchers Dan Dediu and Stephen C. Levinson re-evaluated their previous work in light of new findings in genetics, paleontology, and archaeology. They concluded that Neanderthals were likely fully articulate beings, and language evolution was a gradual process shared by both Neanderthals and modern humans. Their study, published in Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, argues that cognitive differences between Neanderthals and modern humans are minimal and expected after hundreds of thousands of years of separate evolution.

Grammar and Language Structure

In 2020, Stellenbosch linguistics professor Rudolph Botha argued in his book Neanderthal Language: Demystifying the Linguistic Powers of Our Extinct Cousins that while Neanderthals used linguistic signs similar to modern language, they lacked complex grammar. This theory, while intriguing, faces skepticism. For instance, Petar Gabrić, reviewing the book for Frontiers in Psychology, criticized the assumption that differences in brain structure necessarily indicate linguistic limitations. Similarly, Joshua Katz in the Times Literary Supplement noted the ongoing controversies and lack of universally accepted beliefs about Neanderthal linguistic capabilities.

Physical Evidence and Auditory Capabilities

Previous assumptions that Neanderthals couldn't speak due to inadequate bone structure were challenged in 2021. Researchers at the University of Binghamton and Universidad de Alcalá discovered that Neanderthals had similar auditory and speech capacities to modern humans, based on CT scans and 3D models of their ear structures. This finding, discussed in Discover Magazine, suggests that nothing physical would have prevented Neanderthals from speaking.

Theoretical Models of Neanderthal Speech

Some researchers have theorized about the nature of Neanderthal speech. University of Reading archaeologist Steven Mithen, author of The Singing Neanderthals, posits that Neanderthals likely did not use metaphors, a key component of abstract thinking. He bases this on the shape of Neanderthal skulls, which suggests a different brain structure focused more on visual processing than language. Mithen believes that while Neanderthals could use iconic words and that syntax could spontaneously emerge, the ability to think and communicate using metaphor was unique to modern humans.

Ultimately, the debate over Neanderthal speech reveals much about our desire to understand our ancient cousins. With each new discovery, theories evolve, and the gap between Neanderthals and modern humans continues to narrow. Yet, without direct evidence, much of what we believe remains speculative, shaped by the limited evidence available and the interpretations of various researchers.