Anthropology Practice Test 2025 – The Comprehensive All-in-One Guide for Exam Success

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What does the term protolanguage refer to?

A complex language used in early civilizations

The limited communication systems of nonhuman primates

The term protolanguage refers to a theoretical stage of language development in humans. It is understood to represent a primitive form of communication that may have existed before fully developed languages emerged. This concept suggests that early humans used a simpler system comprising of basic sounds or gestures to convey meanings, which eventually evolved into more complex languages.

While the communication systems of nonhuman primates could be seen as limited forms of communication, they do not represent the protolanguage theory as applied to human language evolution. Protolanguage emphasizes the idea of a developmental stage unique to the evolutionary trajectory of human language, rather than the communicative practices of nonhuman species. This distinction highlights its role in understanding the origins and progression of human linguistic capabilities.

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A theoretical stage of language development in humans

The various dialects of a single language

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