There is a book review on how humans evolved to speak.  I can take or leave the theory.  So can the reviewer.

What really got to me was the section on cradling.  I think that got to the reviewer too.

Only humans cradle. Cradling means the mother and her child’s eyes are close together—they share each other’s gaze, called “intersubjectivity.” From immediately after birth, mother and child engage in a complex interaction, in which the child imitates the mother, and vice versa, sharing affect. This leads to “joint attention,” where they share perceptions of objects in the world other than mother or child, with their intersubjectivity making it possible for them to communicate they are seeing the same object. (This is different from “gaze following,” which does happen in other species.) This leads to the ability to “share intentionality,” that is, to cooperate. (Apes cannot cooperate or share to achieve joint objectives.) From this flow words,

If words don’t come from cradling, I bet sociality does.  That is just as important.  It’s amazing to me how important God made men and women and fathers and mothers.

[Author’s Note: Every Mothers’ Day I think, “I should post that Mothers’ Day talk that I gave a few years ago,” and every Mothers’ Day I forget. Including this one. But however belatedly, Happy Mothers’ Day to all of our our sisters in the Gospel. Hope you enjoy.]

I want to direct my talk to the worst mother in the whole world.

Good, I just wanted to make sure that I have all the sisters’ attention. (more…)