Open challenges in understanding development and evolution of speech forms: The roles of embodied self-organization, motivation and active exploration

Abstract: This article discusses open scientific challenges for understanding development and evolution of speech forms, as a commentary to Moulin-Frier et al. (Moulin-Frier et al., 2015). Based on the analysis of mathematical models of the origins of speech forms, with a focus on their assumptions , we study the fundamental question of how speech can be formed out of non--speech, at both developmental and evolutionary scales. In particular, we emphasize the importance of embodied self-organization , as well as the role of mechanisms of motivation and active curiosity-driven exploration in speech formation. Finally , we discuss an evolutionary-developmental perspective of the origins of speech.