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Andrew Lock suggests that language evolved from a system of elaborate and representational gestures which slowly became conventionalized as spoken language.

Max Müller proposed that language began with a mystical relation between sound and meaning, where words reflect an intrinsic relationship to the objects they signify.

The Yo-he-ho Theory suggests that language developed from the rhythmic chants and grunts people used to coordinate physical work activities.

Johann Gottfried Herder proposed the La-la Theory, suggesting language developed from the romantic expressions and the musical aspects of prehistoric courtship.

D. Kimbrough Oller posits that the babbling stage in infants is fundamental to language development and that the evolution of language came from the refinement of these vocalization patterns.

Charles Darwin believed that language evolved through natural selection and that the capability for language was subject to evolutionary pressures just like any other trait.

Jean-Louis Dessalles argues that language evolved as a result of the combination of complex social life requiring communication and the preexistence of primitive universal grammar among humans.

According to the Pooh-pooh Theory by Max Müller, language emerged from the instinctive sounds people make in emotional circumstances, such as pain or fear.

Proposed by Sir Richard Paget, this theory suggests that language started by imitating natural sounds, such as animal calls or other environmental noises.

Robin Dunbar suggests that language evolved as social groups grew larger, which required more sophisticated communication to maintain social cohesion and support the complexities of social life.

Paul Hopper and Elizabeth Traugott claim that the evolution of language can be traced through the process of grammaticalization, where phrases become shorter and grammatically integrated over time.

Noam Chomsky's theory suggests that the evolution of language resulted from genetic changes which occurred in humans, creating an innate language faculty known as Universal Grammar.

Walter J. Ong postulates that language was a divine gift to humans; the 'muteness of the gods' signifies the separation of human language from divine silence.

Michael Corballis argues that language evolved from manual gestures, which still play a role in communication and are foundational to the development of spoken language.

Thomas Morgan proposed that the cognitive demands of making tools drove the evolution of language by requiring more complex communication and thinking.

Steven Mithen proposes that musicality is a precursor to language and that the evolution of language is connected to the ability to produce and recognize melodic sounds.

Vittorio Gallese and Michael Arbib propose that mirror neurons, which simulate the actions of others, played a key role in the development of language and understanding others' intentions.

Terrence Deacon proposes that language evolved through the development of complex neural connectivity, which eventually allowed for the intricate combination of concepts expressed in language.

Heiner Mühlmann theorizes that language evolved to solidify social identity and group cohesion, helping individuals to navigate increasingly complex social structures.