lot 31 linguists believe the old “African click languages” hold the key to understanding the origin and evolution of human language. About 30 cultural groups speak still active languages, who take dozens of “click consonants.” These clicks remained largely a phonetic mystery, as linguists usually find it difficult to determine the specific vocal actions required, including the direction of the air flow, the narrowing of the mouth and the actual articulation techniques.
Ohio State University scientist Amanda Miller during the last ten years dedicated to unravel the mysteries, and she believes that a piece of modern technology has the key. According to Popular Science is Miller with a select group of translators who use of ultrasound technology to watch “the tongue as it moves in real time.” Other forms of medical technology, such as MRI’s, apparently not fast enough to effectively capture the incredibly fast movements involved click shop. Through its ultrasound examination, however, Miller has been able to organize and classify “more than 40 different types of click consonants” for the international phonetic alphabet language database.
Prior to the ultrasound studies, scientists in the first place “trusted x-rays and glue-on electronic probes” study then speakers, but these methods were not exactly welcomed by local villagers. Professor of the University of Arizona Diana Archangeli context that dilemma by saying, “you can imagine if you walk into a village and say:” look, people, all I want to do is blow drying your tongue and glue things, “people might be a bit nervous.” Well, Yes. It is not a scientist must deduce that probably.