Language Evolution (Studies in the Evolution of Language)
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Some time since we and the chimpanzees went our separate evolutionary ways, probably towards the very end of that 6 million year period, an innovation occurred whose only precedent was arguably the DNA code itself. Language arose in our ancestors, and there had been nothing like it. Of course other species communicate, many of them vocally, but none of this comes close to the open-ended, generative capacity, the huge vocabulary, the nuanced subtlety, the permanent recordability of language. As an outsider, it is with real fascination that I have read this compendium. One of the merits of any book is its capacity to stimulate the reader to think beyond its confines. This, and other merits are possessed by Language Evolution in abundance. (Richard Dawkins )
This book offers the current states of the art on the subject of language evolution, covering just about every scientific discipline that has a stake in answering the questions it raises. (Pragmatics )
Language Evolution is a brave attempt at a state-of-the-art survey of language origin research at the beginning of the millennium. (Andrew Carstairs-McCarthy, Science )
The evolutionary origins of language should intrigue anyone interested in the relationship of humans to other species. For them, Language Evolution will provide a useful starting point. (Andrew Carstairs-McCarthy, Science )
In the beginning there was no language. Now there is. Language Evolution describes the passage as a wonderful voyage of discovery. (Nurturing Potential )
This book offers the current states of the art on the subject of language evolution, covering just about every scientific discipline that has a stake in answering the questions it raises. (Pragmatics )
Language Evolution is a brave attempt at a state-of-the-art survey of language origin research at the beginning of the millennium. (Andrew Carstairs-McCarthy, Science )
The evolutionary origins of language should intrigue anyone interested in the relationship of humans to other species. For them, Language Evolution will provide a useful starting point. (Andrew Carstairs-McCarthy, Science )
In the beginning there was no language. Now there is. Language Evolution describes the passage as a wonderful voyage of discovery. (Nurturing Potential )
Product Description
How humans acquired language and how languages evolved are two of the most intriguing questions in contemporary scientific research. Answering them would throw new light on the process of evolution, the human brain, the structure of language, and what it means to be human. In this book researchers in cognitive science, anthropology, ethology, human biology, and linguistics say what they think about the origins of human language.
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Format:Paperback
It is an exciting time when another compilation on the subject of language evolution edited by the likes of Simon Kirby and Morten Christiansen comes along. This volume, like its predecessors, is packed with musings by the full spectrum of leading contemporary theorists and investigators in the "field" of language evolution. Yes, it is technical (reflecting the field's growing maturity and sophistication) and readers may benefit from at least a passing acquaitance with some of the directions apparent in the field, but it is thorough and satisfyingly representative of the views of major current contributors to the debate. Deacon, Tomasello, Hurford, and the editors are all contributors, along with along with Bickerton and Davidson, amongst a host of others.
The role of gestures as precusors to the advent of speech is explored, the role of neuronal sub-structures in language processing, and the possible interaction of universal grammar with respect to semiotics are amongst the topics addressed.
If you want a reasonably concise, yet quite thorough snapshot of the current stage of this rapidly expanding and maturing field, then this volume is absolutely perfect: highly recommended for interested students, academics, and members of the lay public.
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