Cave art discovery in Indonesia force rethink of origin of art.

[Anomalocaris]

Have you heard the idea that, based on the structure of the skull and how it sat on their body and comparing that to ours, there are certain vowel sounds that they couldn't form? Do you think we have enough information to make that inference? I was never totally sold on it. Maybe I haven't found a convincing enough read.

I think the latest analysis of Neanderthal hyoid bone suggests there is no substantive difference between Neanderthals and HSS in the physical ability to make language sounds.

However, it is believed HSS faculty for language is not all nurture. It also includes a major component of instinctive grammatical preprogramming. At this point it is not clear if Neanderthals have a comparable library of preprogrammed grammar to support a language as sophisticated as HSS are capable of. If Neanderthal did have an instinctive grammatical programming as sophisticated as our own, it is also not clear if the contents of HSS and Neanderthal programmings are necessarily compatible so that either HSS or Neanderthal could readily learn the other's language.

So Neanderthals can be taught to make any sound modern human can. But it is unclear if neanderthals can master HSS language or vice versa.

---

Off course it is possible social factors make Neanderthal female to HSS male pairing much more rare than the reverse

Well, you know women. Some of them go for that 'bad-boy, cave man' act.

Perhaps HSS males simply couldn't get it up before Neanderthal women who could easily rip them limb from limb.

Neanderthals upper body strength were in a different league all together form HSS.