Lakhasly

The degree of dis- comfort is directly proportional to the intensity of the acoustic signal.So even at this rudimentary stage of linguistic evolution, there is a significant transformation from using sound as an iconic or direct reflection of an internal state to using it as a symbolic, indirect manifesta- tion of increasingly complex internal feelings.But in the first month or two of the child's development, crying becomes more differentiated and more symbolic.

The degree of dis- comfort is directly proportional to the intensity of the acoustic signal. But in the first month or two of the child's development, crying becomes more differentiated and more symbolic. This means that it is not directly related to the child's sense of discom- fort; rather, the cries are subtly, indirectly, and almost randomly associated with its needs. As most mothers realize intuitively, and as recent studies have suggested, the baby may not cry to express discomfort or pain, but rather to elicit attention. So even at this rudimentary stage of linguistic evolution, there is a significant transformation from using sound as an iconic or direct reflection of an internal state to using it as a symbolic, indirect manifesta- tion of increasingly complex internal feelings. Later, we will learn that this transition also represents a major difference between the communication found in most animals and the way humans use language.