The throat and facial movements that allow our vocal cords to create words could be rooted in the well-meaning expressions primates exchange with each other.
The oral-facial component of human speech was found to mirror the rhythm, development and internal dynamics of lip-smacking, a friendly back-and-forth gesture performed by primates such as chimpanzees, baboons and macaques.
Further study into these facial mechanics could help illuminate the neurological basis of speech disorders in humans.
Read more at Princeton