Original Signs : Gesture, Sign, and the Sources of Language

Since Darwin's Time, The Majority Of Evolutionary Linguists Have Theorized That Language Defines Human Beings And That Speech Defines Language. In Original Signs, David Armstrong Disputes The Latter Concept By Showing That Language Has Evolved In Many Different Ways Through Many Different Paths, Not Just Speech. The Present Evidence Rests In The Known Fact That When Deaf People Sign, They Are Using A Well-formed Human Language. Armstrong Addresses In Turn The Various Thoughts On Language Development Put Forth By The Major Theorists, Including Stephen J. Gould, Steven Pinker, Noam Chomsky, Terrence Deacon, And Others, To Finely Hone His Concept Of The Varied Forms In Which Language Developed.--jacket. Introduction: The Forest Of Symbols -- Where Did Language Come From? -- The Rage To Order -- Speech And Sign -- Words And Sentences -- Simultaneity And Sequentiality -- The Morning Star And The Evening Star -- Forked Tongues. David F. Armstrong. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 173-181) And Index. Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 2 ISBN......Page 3 Contents......Page 5 Acknowledgments......Page 6 Introduction: The Forest of Symbols......Page 7 1 Where Did Language Come From?......Page 21 2 The Rage to Order......Page 51 3 Speech and Sign......Page 71 4 Words and Sentences......Page 95 5 Simultaneity and Sequentiality......Page 117 6 The Morning Star and the Evening Star......Page 140 7 Forked Tongues......Page 158 Bibliography......Page 180 Index......Page 190 Cover 1 Title 2 ©1999 3 ISBN 3 Contents 5 Acknowledgments 6 Introduction: The Forest of Symbols 7 1 Where Did Language Come From? 21 2 The Rage to Order 51 3 Speech and Sign 71 4 Words and Sentences 95 5 Simultaneity and Sequentiality 117 6 The Morning Star and the Evening Star 140 7 Forked Tongues 158 Bibliography 180 Index 190