It seems that besides "spreading their seed" to foreign lands, rambling men have been transmitters of new languages. At least that's the conclusion presented by this new science finding:
Mother Tongue Comes from Your Prehistoric Father
First the data:
... genetic markers (the male Y chromosome and female mtDNA) from several thousand individuals in communities around the world ...
and the languages spoken by the carriers of those genetic markers. From discovered patterns, the researchers conclude:
Language change among our prehistoric ancestors came about via the arrival of immigrant men -- rather than women -- into new settlements.
That seems to make sense. Throughout history it has been largely men that have left the home and homeland in pursuit of resources beyond. As for why new languages tended to take hold and be found today along with traces of immigrant DNA, the authors speculate:
"Prehistoric women may have more readily adopted the language of immigrant males, particularly if these newcomers brought with them military prowess or a perceived higher status associated with farming or metalworking."
A "mother tongue" is usually associated with a homeland. But languages aren't mined from the earth. Rather, they accompany the gene-bearing people that speak them.
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