Humans who never learn a language, often referred to as "feral children" or individuals who grow up in extreme isolation without exposure to any form of language, face significant challenges in their cognitive development and ability to communicate. The lack of language exposure during the critical period of language development can severely impact various cognitive functions and result in substantial differences when compared to other animals.
Cognitive Functions: Feral children are likely to have basic cognitive functions similar to other animals, such as perception, attention, and basic problem-solving abilities. They can develop a limited set of cognitive skills necessary for survival, but their cognitive abilities would likely be more comparable to those of animals than fully developed human cognitive abilities.
Complex Thinking: One of the defining features of human cognition is the capacity for complex thinking, abstract reasoning, and symbolic thought. These higher-order cognitive functions heavily rely on language as a tool for organizing and expressing thoughts. Without language, the ability to engage in advanced forms of reasoning, express abstract ideas, and engage in complex social interactions would be severely restricted.
Conceptual Understanding: Language plays a crucial role in shaping our conceptual understanding of the world. Through language, humans categorize, label, and communicate about objects, events, and ideas. Without language, individuals might not develop the same level of conceptual understanding that language-using humans do.
Social Interaction: Language is a fundamental tool for social interaction, cooperation, and cultural transmission. It enables humans to share knowledge, beliefs, and experiences with others, facilitating the formation of complex societies. Without language, feral children may find it challenging to engage in social interactions with other humans on a comparable level.
It's important to note that the critical period for language acquisition occurs in early childhood. If a child does not receive linguistic input during this sensitive period, their ability to acquire language later in life is significantly impaired. However, cases of feral children are exceptionally rare, and most children are exposed to language and develop typical linguistic and cognitive abilities.
In conclusion, while humans who never learn a language may retain some basic cognitive functions similar to other animals, their lack of language exposure would likely result in a substantial difference in their cognitive abilities when compared to fully developed language-using humans. Language plays a vital role in shaping human cognition and communication, and its absence would have significant effects on higher-order cognitive functions and social interaction.