Book contents
- Genes, Brains, Evolution and Language
- Genes, Brains, Evolution and Language
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Part I Introduction
- Part II Third Factors and Formal Languages Theory
- Part III Brains and Genes
- Part IV Animal Communication
- Part V The Evolution of Mind and Language
- 10 The Evolution of Mind and Language: Basic Issues
- Part VI Winding Up
- Notes
- Further Reading
- Index
10 - The Evolution of Mind and Language: Basic Issues
from Part V - The Evolution of Mind and Language
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 November 2025
Book contents
- Genes, Brains, Evolution and Language
- Genes, Brains, Evolution and Language
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Part I Introduction
- Part II Third Factors and Formal Languages Theory
- Part III Brains and Genes
- Part IV Animal Communication
- Part V The Evolution of Mind and Language
- 10 The Evolution of Mind and Language: Basic Issues
- Part VI Winding Up
- Notes
- Further Reading
- Index
Summary
The question “where does language come from?” has fascinated people for as long as we know. While all sorts of answers have been proposed, ranging from an appeal to divine intervention to “by chance,” there is currently a trend to approach this difficult question using circumstantial evidence from many different disciplines. While no agreement is in sight, advances have been made, in part because scientists are now able to ask better, more specific questions due to the fact that linguists have made a lot of progress in their detailed understanding of language structure and the way in which languages can change over time.
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- Genes, Brains, Evolution and LanguageThe Innateness Debate Continued, pp. 369 - 406Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025
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