Experts have reflected on whether language is developed as a tool for thought or for communication. 

A recent international perspective piece contends that humans developed language primarily for communication rather than to enhance thought. 

This conclusion stems from a comprehensive review of existing research on the role of language in human cognition, including studies of individuals with aphasia, a condition that impairs language and communication abilities.

The debate over whether language is necessary for complex thought has persisted for centuries. To address this, researchers examined evidence from neuroscience and related fields. 

Their analysis reveals that all tested forms of thought can exist independently of language, suggesting that language likely evolved to facilitate the sharing of thoughts rather than to create them.

“Language is primarily a tool for communication rather than thought,” according to a new paper by experts at MIT. 

This perspective challenges the view that language is essential for cognitive processes and underscores its role in transmitting cultural knowledge across generations.

The paper provides detailed insights into the brain network supporting linguistic ability and the dissociation between language and thought. 

Studies of individuals with aphasia demonstrate that complex thinking is possible without language. 

Furthermore, functional MRI (fMRI) evidence indicates that various forms of thinking and reasoning do not activate the brain's language network, which processes word meanings and syntactic structures during language comprehension and production.

The authors also discuss several properties of language that suggest it is optimised for communication. 

They note that human languages are designed to be easy to produce, learn, and understand, as well as concise and efficient in use. 

Cross-linguistic tendencies, such as minimising dependency lengths and preferring certain word orders, are challenging to explain if language were primarily for internal thought.

The conclusions drawn from the review suggest that while language has profoundly influenced human culture, it is not a prerequisite for complex thought. 

Instead, language has likely evolved alongside our thinking and reasoning capabilities, reflecting rather than generating the sophisticated cognition that characterises the human species. 

The researchers argue that language's primary function is communicative, facilitating the cross-generational transmission of knowledge. 

This cumulative cultural knowledge, along with advanced social and problem-solving abilities, has enabled the development of human civilizations.

The paper has been published in the journal Nature, and is accessible for free in PDF form, here.