Do languages shape anatomy?
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Forum Name: General discussion
Forum Discription: Discussion about language learning for people who study languages on their own.
URL: http://how-to-learn-any-language.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=40390
Printed Date: 21 July 2021 at 4:28pm
Posted By: biagio
Subject: Do languages shape anatomy?
Date Posted: 29 April 2015 at 11:57am
If this has been already discussed, I apologise.
I've recently come across an American tv series in which one character claimed to be able to tell an American from a Briton by simply observing their palates, on the assumption that one's language can shape his/her anatomical structures.
Is this claim based on any solid scientific evidence or what?
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Replies:
Phrenology.
Bao on 29 April 2015
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You can differentiate French and English speakers on mute, by the amount of pouting
the French do. Older french people also end up with wrinkly lips/mouths, but the
smoking probably doesn't help.
You can also often recognise Spanish speakers on mute, as about 50% touch their top
lip with their tongues when pronouncing "th" but I don't know if it leads to any
physical changes. Might be worth checking them for elongated tongues though.
schoenewaelder on 29 April 2015
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No, any physical differences would be genetic, and shape of the palate/tongue is not affected at all by
language/accent.
The physical development of the shape of the palate is decided in the womb before you start speaking, and does not
change after birth.
djc463 on 30 April 2015
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I recently heard someone say that they could identify French speakers, who are of course a very genetically diverse population, by certain facial features that are developed from growing up speaking French and moving the vocal apparatus in the ways required to produce the sounds of the language. Of course, this was just a claim at the pub, and I don't know if there was any scientific accuracy behind it.
garyb on 30 April 2015
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The only documented example of a particular language affecting anatomy that I'm aware of is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taa_language - !Xóõ or Taa , whose adult speakers develop a lump on their larynx, http://lists.topica.com/lists/phonetics/read/message.ht ml?sort=t&mid=812759062&start=1 - which also happened to the linguist Anthony Traill after he mastered it.
Quote:
The eminent anatomist and palaeo-anthropologist Phillip Tobias said it
was the only physiological change he knew of that was brought about by
speech. |
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So I guess there's that.
vonPeterhof on 30 April 2015
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