How would a two-speak language evolve? (Spoken and Sign-Language)
So I'm creating an original world with a number of creatures, and original peoples. One of the peoples has a two-speak language. One element, the base of the language, is based off of local mythology, the second a form of sign language. The base of their language would be stories about creation, or explanations of their traditions. The sign language would help specify the story for the instance they are in, and to communicate with one another.
My question is how would this come about? How would it evolve, as in what reasons might cause this to occur over a single speaking language like most cultures have. Would it be too difficult a form of communication, and would it make more sense to focus on one element over the other? Maybe take the spoken language and replace it with clicking/whistling?
Edit: These are humanoids, in fact they are human. They have two arms. Their culture is a mixture between Native American, and African. They live in an oasis within a very large desert. This oasis, is accessed through a cave, from the desert, where the oasis consists of five tribes within this culture. They are very tribal, and do not take to outsiders. They sometimes leave the oasis, where they interact with humanoids that are much faster than them, and stronger. As well as having to deal with large, humanoid-insects, torso human-like, bottom of the insect. (they come in many sizes, and types.) The oasis itself is much like a paradise, and they do not have to worry much, save for bad juju.
The language is one. Not two, but like that of a two tier system. In idea. I got this idea from a Star Trek episode actually. I wanted to further it.
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One thing is if they don't or can't easily read body language or subtle expression.
In the Expanse books the people who live in the belt have a lot of hand gestures for things like nodding, shrugging, etc. because those motions don't work well when you are in a space suit.
There are some humans who don't do well reading emotion or body language because of things like autism. So a way to express intended humor or anger non-verbally but also non-ambiguously would be very useful.
If an entire race had trouble with this, then verbal only communication could be more difficult, and so a secondary sign language could develop to give extra visual meaning around the spoken conversation.
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