Overview

The contributions to this volume reflect the state of the art in the renewed discussion on the origin of language. Some of the most important specialists in the field - life scientists and linguists - primarily examine two aspects of the question: the origin of the language faculty and the evolution of the first language. At stake is the relation between nature and culture and between universality and historical particularity as well as cognition, communication, and the very essence of language.

Full Product Details

Author:   Jürgen Trabant ,  Sean Ward
Publisher:   De Gruyter
Imprint:   De Gruyter Mouton
Edition:   Reprint 2011
Volume:   133
Weight:   0.515kg
ISBN:  

9783110170252

ISBN 10:   3110170256
Pages:   264
Publication Date:   19 July 2001
Recommended Age:   College Graduate Student
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Available To Order  
We have confirmation that this item is in stock with the supplier. It will be ordered in for you and dispatched immediately.

Table of Contents

"Introduction Jurgen Trabant * New perspectives on an old academic question 1. Biological aspects of the question Philip Lieberman * On the subcortical bases of the evolution of language Eors Szathmary * Origin of the human language faculty: the language amoeba hypothesis 2. The first language Manfred Bierwisch * The apparent paradox of language evolution: can Universal Grammar be explained by adaptive selection? Wolfgang Klein * Elementary forms of linguistic organisation Bernard Comrie * From potential to realisation: an episode in the origin of language James R Hurford * Protothought had no logical names Jean Aitchison * The birth of rules Daniel Dor and Eva Jablonka * How language changed the genes: toward an explicit account of the evolution of language 3. Beyond bio-linguistics Merritt Ruhlen * Taxonomic controversies in the twentieth century Volker Heeschen * The narration ""instinct"": signalling behaviour, communication, and the selective value of storytelling Henri Meschonnic * The origin of origins: A play in five acts, with a prologue im Himmel and an epilogue auf der Erde"

Reviews

Author Information

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Countries Available

All regions