Language Emerged Before Human Population Split, Study Suggests

A new study suggests human language may have originated around 135,000 years ago, predating the divergence of human populations. Researchers at MIT, publishing in *Frontiers in Psychology*, propose that all of today's 7,000+ languages stem from a single linguistic family tree. The study indicates that while the capacity for language existed 135,000 years ago, its widespread social use likely began around 100,000 years ago. This 35,000-year gap may reflect the time needed for cognitive, social, or technological developments to fully integrate language into communication. Professor Shigeru Miyagawa, a study author, stated that "each population that has branched out across the world has human language, and all the languages are related." The conclusion is based on genomic data showing the initial split in human populations occurred approximately 135,000 years ago, implying pre-existing linguistic capability. This capability is considered an inherent trait of modern humans, established before population dispersal.