they had to call each other something, right?? so did they give each other names??
2006-09-08 05:08:02 · 17 answers · asked by Himabindu P 2 in Social Science ➔ Anthropology
WHICH early man? Some experts think Neandertal could not speak, so the names would have to be in some sign language. Early hominids, like Australopithecus and Homo habilis, would have had to designate each other as individuals, just like other animals do, but they would probably not have "names" as we know them. As for "Clan of the Care Bears" (I actually like those books - Romance novels for Cavewomen!)...the invented languages and names were interesting and well done, but again, we have no way of knowing what names they used or how they sounded. "Jondalar" the Fabio-like hero of the above books, was probably a LITTLE too flashy for folks who ran around in furs and ate mammoth meat! :P If I had to make up names for them, they'd be like the ones in "Dances With Wolves". "Ayla", heroine of "Clan" would be be called Has-nookie-all-day-with-blond-hunk"!
2006-09-08 05:36:51 · answer #1 · answered by Gwynneth Of Olwen 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Since most scientists believe that speech as we know it wasn't developed until early homo sapians (I think), most early men probably did not identify themselves the way we do today. I would not be surprised to find that they identified each other the same way apes do today. After all they were just evolved from apes and they had not developed the art of bathing, which would have washed off the protective mud they wore to protect from insect bites, the act of grooming would have served a useful purpose to clean themselves of lice and ticks ect. while also establishing bonds of family and hierarchy. Again you are dealing with primitive humans that have just evolved from apes and still probably carry many of the characteristics. Why else would the caressing of each other's hair be such a common form of intamacy amongst couples.
2006-09-09 06:35:40 · answer #2 · answered by West Coast Nomad 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most likely names that describe themselves. Since even recent names like "Smith" and "Miller" describes a job. So at some point they had to distinguish between the various Smiths and Barbers, so you would have Joe the Barber, John the Smith. But this would not have happened until language had developed.
2006-09-08 12:16:30 · answer #3 · answered by Tony Z 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Real early man did not have speech. Everybody had there own indivialy grunt within a single community. Some grunts Like "ugh" and "ook" were duplicated and used by many different communities, others like "PstPsttse" were unique.
2006-09-11 07:02:48 · answer #4 · answered by Brian M 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes....but maybe not names like John....maybe names like....
One who has no fear
One who makes nice sounds
One who has 9 children
Names could have been more to identify you and a skill or a difference.
2006-09-08 18:07:39 · answer #5 · answered by daljack -a girl 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I read a book on this subject once. I think it said they called each other things like Adam, Cain, Abel, Seth, etc.
2006-09-08 12:14:05 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't think so, earlier there were no language and hence there couldn't be names. Does animals today have names? But still they have definite identification among themselves. isn't it?
2006-09-11 02:22:11 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Read Clan of the cave bear.
2006-09-08 12:11:05 · answer #8 · answered by Sherry M 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would think they were distinguished by their characteristics (?) Like, "the spear maker with a scar by the waterfall." Or, maybe by their tatoos?
2006-09-08 12:15:48 · answer #9 · answered by funeral_march 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
names probably did not come until language came into use. words, then sentence.
2006-09-08 17:46:15 · answer #10 · answered by Leo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋