It is widely accepted that the capacity for language-like communication arose before modern humans split off from Neanderthals and Denisovans, suggesting that these now-extinct hominins were probably able to speak . According to the authors of an as yet un-peer-reviewed study, however, the inability of our prehistoric relatives to learn Homo sapiens' languages may have prevented them from ever fully integrating with us, possibly contributing to their eventual demise. The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

While the linguistic systems of our Pleistocene ancestors remain unknown, the researchers note that human language is characterized by "ergodicity", which refers to the ability to invent multiple dialects that reflect cul

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