Sign Apr 2026

Humans 40,000 y ago developed a system of conventional signs

: It challenges the idea that sign languages are "just" gestures and explores how the visual nature of signing allows for more direct meaning than spoken sounds. The full text is available via Frontiers in Psychology . Humans 40,000 y ago developed a system of

: It explains why a word or image isn't just a thing—it's a tool for meaning that relies entirely on the observer's mind. You can explore a breakdown of his theories at the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy . 2. The Evolution of Human Communication (Archaeology) You can explore a breakdown of his theories

3. Comparing Visual vs. Spoken Language (Psychology/Linguistics) Comparing Visual vs

: This paper compares American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign Language (BSL) with spoken English and Spanish. It investigates iconicity —how much a "sign" (word or gesture) physically resembles what it means (e.g., the sign for "drink" looking like drinking from a cup).

: This paper analyzes prehistoric cave markings across Europe. Instead of just looking at animal drawings, researchers focused on geometric "signs"—dots, lines, and triangles—that appear repeatedly across different caves.