Open challenges in understanding development and evolution of speech forms: The roles of embodied self-organization, motivation and active exploration

International audience; This article discusses open scientific challenges for understanding development and evolution of speech forms , as a commentary to Moulin-­Frier et al. (Moulin-­Frier et al., 2015). Based on the analysis of mathematical models of the origins of speech forms, with a focus on their assumptions , we study the fundamental question of how speech can be formed out of non-­‐speech , at both developmental and evolutionary scales. In particular , we emphasize the importance of embodied self-­organization , as well as the role of mechanisms of motivation and active curiosity-­driven exploration in speech formation. Finally , we discuss an evolutionary-­‐developmental perspective of the origins of speech.