Human sound systems are shaped by post-Neolithic changes in bite configuration
Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:16 pm
http://science.sciencemag.org/content/3 ... rendmd-sci
CONCLUSION
Our findings reveal that the transition from prehistoric foragers to contemporary societies has had an impact on the human speech apparatus, and therefore on our species’ main mode of communication and social differentiation: spoken language.
Labiodentals depend on bite configuration.
Biomechanical modeling shows that labiodental sounds like “f” are easier to produce (and to accidentally arise) under overbite and overjet (A) than under the edge-to-edge bite (B) that prevailed before the Neolithic (C). Overbite and overjet persisted only when exposed to the softer diets that became characteristic with food production (D versus E) and more recently with intensified food processing (F). Both developments led to a spread of labiodental sounds.