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Just so we're all on the same page here, monkeys do not have a language, neither do dolphins, killer whales, tigers or anything else you fantasize about chatting up in your spare time.
What they have is a form of communication using audible signs for various survival purposes, language is a uniquely human thing that we evolved due to our needs to communicate and form a cohesive social structure with others outside our family group.
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Ooh, a fan of Chomsky and Pinker I see. I'm torn here. While no studies have ever truly shown animals capable of language (the closest being the Gardners' case study) I'm of the view that animal language is unlikely yet possible- just as they cannot understand or interpret OUR language, we cannot understand or interpret theirs as the 2 are too inherently different.
Anyway on evolution. The whole "Apes became man" thing is bollocks and anyone who thinks its true needs their head examining. However, I believe its possible and based on DNA evidence likely that man and ape shared a common genetic ancestor that may well have been the middle-ground in terms of intelligence as well as structure, and the 2 branched off for whatever reason. Also it infuriates me when people think evolution and creationism are exclusive of one another- they arent, its entirely possible that a God/very smart alien/flying spaghetti monster/whatever engineered/created life, but allowed it to adapt or simply forgot to turn the metaphorical cruise control on. That said I'm neither believing in or disbelieving in intelligent design- we just dont fucking know enough to say either way.
Yay, more middle ground for me!
