Physical Isolation and Cultural Development

Originally posted by cavalry4ever Isolation is an interesting mechanism. Another place that it occurred was New Guinea. That island had a biggest density of distinct languages in the world. Each valley developed its own, because of topography. None of these speakers could even communicate with each other.

Edited by Sander - 09-Sep-2009 at 12:54

Originally posted by cavalry4ever  It talks about Australian Aborigines and Papuans mixing. These were two different language groups influencing each other.

Originally posted by cavalry4ever Papuan languages are the third biggest language family in the world (for number of languages, not speakers). They originated from a common protolanguage in New Guinea and spread to nearby islands and have nothing to do with present Asian languages.  As linguists would tell, if we go far enough, all languages can be traced to a common protolanguage. Link you gave me talks about Papuan pottery, done with local clay. It talks about Australian Aborigines and Papuans mixing. These were two different language groups influencing each other.

As far as isolation goes, I think the most isolated people on earth were the Tasmanian Aborigines. Other very isolated people included the Addaman and Nicobar Islanders. I dont know if these people also regressed to the point where they forgot Bows and fish hooks.  The Islanders did, however, lose the ability to construct ocean going canoes.

Edited by Cryptic - 10-Sep-2009 at 09:41

It is hard to think in any place that was completelly sealed from the outside world. As it has been expossed, Australians were visited once in a while by Guineans. Even in the Americas, Alaska was not isolated from Siberia. There was a very small traffic back and forth between both regions, by artic peoples, at least since 2.000 years ago.

With respect to isolation as a mechanism that generates diversity; that's absolutelly correct. It applies to human cultures, but also to species of plants and animals.