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The search for the origin of language has a long history in mythology. Most mythologies do not credit humans with the invention of language but speak of a divine language predating human language.
The origin of language is a hotly contested topic, with some languages tentatively traced back to the Paleolithic. However, archaeological and written records extend the history of language into ancient times and the Neolithic. The distribution of languages has changed substantially over time.
The origin of language (spoken, signed, and written) and its relationship to human evolution are complex subjects requiring inferences from the fossil record, archeological evidence, contemporary language similarities and differences, studies of language acquisition, and comparisons between human language and communication in other animals ...
- Interdisciplinarity
- From Models to Paradigms
- Uniqueness
- Compatibilism
Several disciplines contribute to the discussion on the origin of language: computer simulation, cognitive psychology, genetics, paleoanthropology, and comparative studies, as some examples (see Tallerman and Gibson 2012). Some disciplines employ sophisticated analysis techniques resulting in empirical evidence inconceivable until a few years ago. ...
Many scholars interested in language origin research (e.g., Bickerton 2012; Tattersall this volume) have explicitly assumed Chomsky’s model of language, that of Universal Grammar (UG), which is still relevant in the current debate (e.g., Hauser et al. 2014) despite some criticism (e.g., Tomasello 2009; Pennisi and Falzone 2016; Corballis 2017). Bio...
Biolinguistics presents several aspects that need to be analyzed. In our opinion, when it comes to the origins of language, the reference to a refined and well-established model of language represents both the strength and weakness of such paradigm. More specifically, the problematic issue is represented by uniqueness—an issue in the Chomskyan pers...
In our view, the first attempt made by Pinker and Bloom (1990) to integrate Chomsky’s model of language in an evolutionary context is an example of the limitations of the biolinguistic paradigm. Assuming UG as the indisputable starting point of the argument, Pinker and Bloom disputed Chomsky in proving UG to be compatible with the theory of evoluti...
- Francesco Ferretti, Ines Adornetti, Alessandra Chiera, Erica Cosentino, Serena Nicchiarelli
- 2018
Humans have speculated about the origins of language throughout history. The Biblical myth of the Tower of Babel is one such account; other cultures have different stories of how language arose.
Sep 26, 2013 · Oxford University Press. Book. The Nature and Origin of Language. Denis Bouchard. Published: 26 September 2013. Cite. Permissions. Share. Abstract. The most important is that it provides a good test for linguistic theories. It considers some current scenarios of the emergence of language.
Nov 21, 2017 · This chapter reviews and discusses the historical origins of language, departing from the fundamental distinction between lexical evolution and grammatical evolution. Initially, some contemporary neurological research, including neuroimaging studies, is reviewed to...
