Here's why:
* No Written Records: The earliest human languages were entirely spoken, and there are no written records from that time.
* Evolutionary Process: Language development wasn't a sudden switch. It evolved gradually over thousands of years, starting with simple vocalizations and gestures.
* Modern Language Origins: Linguists estimate that the ancestors of all modern languages diverged from a single ancestral language around 50,000 to 150,000 years ago.
Key Points:
* Early Humans: While we don't know exactly when language arose, we know that early humans possessed the necessary physical and cognitive abilities for speech around 2 million years ago.
* The "Language Explosion": Some scientists believe there was a significant acceleration in language development around 50,000 years ago, perhaps linked to the emergence of modern humans (Homo sapiens).
* Continued Evolution: Languages are constantly changing and evolving, so what we consider "language" today is different from what it was in the past.
While we might never know the exact moment people started talking languages, we can study the evolution of languages, analyze their similarities and differences, and piece together a fascinating picture of how human communication developed.