Studies of Neanderthal anatomy and genetics reveal that they had language ability. Not only did Neanderthals have the hyoid bone of the neck in the right position for speech, but they also carried the FOXP2 gene, which in humans is linked to speech. What’s more, they possessed an expanded Broca’s area in the brain, the region governing complex speech, the formulation of sentences, and the vocal and breath control necessary to speak words.
