The first uniquely human forms of communication were pointing and pantomiming. The social-cognitive and social-motivational infrastructure that enabled these new forms of communication then acted as a kind of psychological platform on which the various systems of conventional linguistic communication (all 6,000 of them) could be built. Pointing and pantomiming were thus the critical transition points in the evolution of human communication, already embodying most of the uniquely human forms of social cognition and motivation required for the later creation of conventional languages.

Studies have shown that human gestures have a universal character, indicating that they may have evolved from common ancestral roots. In fact, it is believed that human gestures played a significant role in the emergence of language and that the two systems are closely intertwined. For instance, the brain areas responsible for producing and comprehending language also play a crucial role in processing and understanding gestures.