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This book addresses central questions in the evolution of language: where it came from; how it relates to primate communication; how and why it evolved; how it came to be culturally transmitted; and how languages diversified. The chapters are written from the perspective of the latest work in linguistics, neuroscience, psychology, and computer science, and reflect the idea that various cognitive, physical, neurological, social, and cultural prerequisites led to the
development of full human language. Some of these evolutionary changes were preadaptations for language, while others were adaptive changes allowing the development of particular linguistic
characteristics. The authors consider a broad spectrum of ideas about the conditions that led to the evolution of protolanguage and full language. Some examine changes that occurred in the course of evolution to Homo sapiens; others consider how languages themselves have adapted by evolving to be learnable. Some chapters look at the workings of the brain, and others deploy sophisticated computer simulations that model such aspects as the emergence of speech sounds and the development of
grammar. All make use of the latest methods and theories to probe into the origins and subsequent development of the only species that has language. The book will interest a wide range
of linguists, cognitive scientists, biologists, psychologists, neuroscientists, and experts in artificial intelligence, as well as all those fascinated by issues, puzzles, and problems raised by the evolution of language.
This book addresses central questions in the evolution of language: where it came from; how it relates to primate communication; how and why it evolved; how it came to be culturally transmitted; and how languages diversified. The chapters are written from the perspective of the latest work in linguistics, neuroscience, psychology, and computer science, and reflect the idea that various cognitive, physical, neurological, social, and cultural prerequisites led to the
development of full human language. Some of these evolutionary changes were preadaptations for language, while others were adaptive changes allowing the development of particular linguistic
characteristics. The authors consider a broad spectrum of ideas about the conditions that led to the evolution of protolanguage and full language. Some examine changes that occurred in the course of evolution to Homo sapiens; others consider how languages themselves have adapted by evolving to be learnable. Some chapters look at the workings of the brain, and others deploy sophisticated computer simulations that model such aspects as the emergence of speech sounds and the development of
grammar. All make use of the latest methods and theories to probe into the origins and subsequent development of the only species that has language. The book will interest a wide range
of linguists, cognitive scientists, biologists, psychologists, neuroscientists, and experts in artificial intelligence, as well as all those fascinated by issues, puzzles, and problems raised by the evolution of language.
1: Introduction
PART I Evolution of Speech and Speech Sounds: How did spoken
language emerge?
Michael Studdert-Kennedy: Introduction to Part I: How did links
between perception and production emerge for spoken language?
2: Michael Arbib: The Mirror System Hypothesis: How did
protolanguage evolve?
3: Michael Studdert-Kennedy: How Did Language go Discrete?
4: Pierre-Yves Oudeyer: From Holistic to Discrete Speech Sounds:
The blind snowflake maker hypothesis
5: Bart de Boer: Infant-Directed Speech and Evolution of
Language
PART II Evolution of Grammar: How did syntax and morphology
emerge?
Maggie Tallerman: Introduction to Part II: Protolanguage and the
Development of Complexity
6: Maggie Tallerman: Initial Syntax and Modern Syntax: Did the
clause evolve from the syllable?
7: Dana McDaniel: The Potential Role of Production in the Evolution
of Syntax
8: Andrew Carstairs-McCarthy: The Evolutionary Origin of
Morphology
9: Bernard Comrie and Tania Kuteva: The Evolution of Grammatical
Structures and 'Functional Need' Explanations
10: Bradley Franks and Kate Rigby: Deception and Mate Selection:
Some implications for relevance and the evolution of language
PART III Analogous and Homologous Traits: What can we learn from
other species?
Alison Wray: Introductin to Part III: The Broadening Scope of
Animal Communication Research
11: Irene Maxine Pepperberg: An Avian Perspective on Language
Evolution: Implications of simultaneous development of vocal and
physical object combinations by a Grey parrot (Psittacus
erithacus)
12: Klaus Zuberbühler: Linguistic Prerequisites in the Primate
Lineage
PART IV Learnability and Diversity: How did languages emerge and
diverge?
James Hurford: Introduction to Part IV: Computer Modelling Widens
the Focus of Language Study
13: Henry Brighton, Simon Kirby, and Kenny Smith: Cultural
Selection for Learnability: Three principles underlying the view
that language adapts to be learnable
14: Ted Briscoe: Coevolution of the Language Faculty and
Language(s) With Decorrelated Encodings
15: Matthew Roberts, Luca Onnis, and Nick Chater: Acquisition and
Evolution of Quasi-regular Languages: Two puzzles for the price of
one
16: Zach Solan, Eytan Ruppin, David Horn, and Shimon Edelman:
Evolution of Language Diversity: Why fitness counts
17: Andrew D. M. Smith: Mutual Exclusivity: Communicative success
despite conceptual divergence
Maggie Tallerman is Reader in Linguistics at Newcastle University.
She has spent her professional life in North East England, having
previously taught for 21 years at the University of Durham. Her
research interests centre on the origins and evolution of syntax
and morphology; modern Brythonic Celtic syntax and morphology; and
language typology. She is the author of Understanding Syntax (1998;
second edition 2005), and has published widely on the
morphosyntax of modern Welsh and Breton, as well as on language
evolution. She was review editor for the Journal of Linguistics
from 1994 to 2005.
...will interest a wide range of linguists, cognitive scientists, biologists, psychologists, neuroscientists, and experts in artificial intelligence, as well as those fascinated by issues, puzzles, and problems raised by the evolution of language. Folia Linguistica ...obligatory reading... Derek Bickerton, Journal of Linguistics, vol. 43 Given the range of this volume, the scope of its potential readership, and the cross-disciplinary nature of the contributions, there are significant editorial challenges to which Maggie Tallerman has risen...this is a timely volume which lives up to its aim of informing on the latest developments in what is considered to be a thriving cross-disciplinary field. Artificial Intelligence Review
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