Quote Originally Posted by PhilosopherStoned View Post
fail.

Hunter gatherer languages are plenty complex because hunter gatherers think that plenty of things are importantant. Not just "ahh! tiger!" On the whole, they'll be able to recognize every single plant and animal and fungus in their region as well as most minerals that are accessible.

On the whole, the question of the evolution of language is an open and contentious area of research. This makes it difficult to answer the question with anything other than idle and ignorant speculation.
Besides Xei's pwn right there....
We're talking about the very early days, how language evolved. They didn't instantly have words for everything even mildly important. The most important ones came first. Predator words.

Plant words probably came later because it's not as important. All you have to do is show a person what it looks like.
You can't always see a predator and it's a life or death situation.

Anyway, the point is, words develop when there is a perceived need to have a word for something.