New Essays on the Origins of Language (Trends in Linguistics: Studies and Monographs, No. 133) (Trends in Linguistics: Studies and Monographs)

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. Machine generated contents note: Introduction: New perspectives on an old academic question Jiirgen Trabant 1 1. Biological aspects of the question On the subcortical bases of the evolution of language Philip Lieberman 21 Origin of the human language faculty: the language amoeba hypothesis Eors Szathmdry 41 2. The first language The apparent paradox of language evolution: can Universal Grammar be explained by adaptive selection? Manfred Bierwisch 55 Elementary forms of linguistic organisation Wolfgang Klein 81 From potential to realisation: an episode in the origin of language Bernard Comrie 103 Protothought had no logical names James R. Hurford 119 The birth of rules Jean Aitchison 133 How language changed the genes: toward an explicit account of the evolution of language Daniel Dor and Eva Jablonka 149 3. Beyond biolinguistics The narration "instinct": signalling behaviour, communication, and the selective value of storytelling Volker Heeschen 179 Taxonomic controversies in the twentieth century Merritt Ruhlen 197 The origin of origins: a play in five acts, with a prologue im Himmel and an epilogue auf der Erde Henri Meschonnic 215 References 229 Index 257. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS is a series of books that open new perspectives in our understanding of language. The series publishes state-of-the-art work on core areas of linguistics across theoretical frameworks, as well as studies that provide new insights by approaching language from an interdisciplinary perspective. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS considers itself a forum for cutting-edge research based on solid empirical data on language in its various manifestations, including sign languages. It regards linguistic variation in its synchronic and diachronic dimensions as well as in its social contexts as important sources of insight for a better understanding of the design of linguistic systems and the ecology and evolution of language. TRENDS IN LINGUISTICS publishes monographs and outstanding dissertations as well as edited volumes, which provide the opportunity to address controversial topics from different empirical and theoretical viewpoints. High quality standards are ensured through anonymous reviewing. To discuss your book idea or submit a proposal, please contact Birgit Sievert. Jürgen Trabant: Introduction: New perspectives on an old academic question 1. Biological aspects of the question Philip Lieberman: On the subcortical bases of the evolution of language Eörs Szathmáry: 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 biolinguistics Volker Heeschen: The narration “instinct”: signalling behaviour, communication, and the selective value of storytelling Merritt Ruhlen: Taxonomic controversies in the twentieth century Henri Meschonnic: The origin of origins: a play in five acts, with a prologue im Himmel and an epilogue auf der Erde The question of the origin of language was one of the eighteenth century's major philosophical problems. Edited By Jürgen Trabant, Sean Ward. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [229]-255) And Index.