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Theories of Development 245 



according to convenience or ease in making the sign. 

 as well as according to what is necessary to have the 

 sign understood and the want satisfied. 



We have here an important explanation of the 

 perplexing question as to how teleological adapta- 

 tions arise. Manifestly, if there is a consciousness 

 back of this useful adaptation to a purpose, it is a 

 consciousness governed by the same natural law as 

 that leading to the same results in lower forms. 



Articulate speech is a further differentiation and 

 specialization of the original cry. Variety of feelings, 

 variety of sensations, variety of wants, and variety of 

 ideas, require greater variety in the vocal utterance; 

 and, consequently, increased modification of the vocal 

 organs, giving rise to a succession of vocal impulses 

 or sound complexes. Hence we find, both in the in- 

 dividual and in the race, that language becomes more 

 and more complex and specialized. 



Sounds are first combined into monosyllables, as 

 in the word ma and pa. How do these arise? In 

 the first place, they result from the simplest combina- 

 tion of the vocal organs, and are, therefore, least 

 fatiguing. If the infant finds all his wants attended 

 to by a mere cry, the chances are he will continue to 

 express his wants in that way, as is usually the case 

 with the spoiled baby. If, however, he finds that 

 this does not bring about the desired end, he may 

 adopt other means; in fact, a variety of ways of ex- 

 pressing himself until he hits upon some combination 

 of sounds that is effective. If the child finds that the 

 sound ma has the effect of bringing its mother to 

 attend to its wants, that particular signal will continue 

 to be given whenever "ma" is wanted. The word 

 "ma" is therefore equivalent to a whole sentence; 

 and has not been learned by imitation, as is usually 

 supposed. The ease of utterance, and its effectiveness 

 in bringing about the desired results, is the sole reason 



