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The discovery of FOXP2 in humans
人体中FOXP2的发现
marked a significant step forward for linguistic science.
是语言科学发展的一个重要里程碑
One family had unlocked some of the key secrets of speech in all of us.
一个家族揭示了人类语言的某些关键秘密
This kind of a connection between a single gene
找出像说话和语言这种认知能力
and a cognitive capacity, like speech and language,
与单个基因之间的关系
is quite remarkable to be able to demonstrate.
是相当引人瞩目的
It was later discovered that all vertebrates have a version of this gene
随后我们发现所有脊椎动物都有这种基因
but just two tiny changes in the human form
只是与人类的基因的两处小差别
has meant the difference between making noises and producing speech.
就使得叫嚷和讲话得以区分
It looks like this period where these changes occurred
看起来 这些小差别产生的时刻
may have coincided with the time that modern humans had come about.
可能就是现代人类文明出现的那一刻
The effect of these small changes in our genes was massive
基因中的小变化带来的影响是巨大的
because, for the first time,
因为 这是有史以来第一次
we were able to manipulate our mouths to form complex sounds.
我们能够控制自己的嘴巴发出复杂的声音
