The Evolution of Human Language: Scenarios, Principles, and Cultural Dynamics (Advances in Consciousness Research) - Hardcover

Wildgen, Wolfgang

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1588115186 ISBN 13: 9781588115188

Publisher: John Benjamins Pub Co, 2004

Synopsis

Wolfgang Wildgen presents three perspectives on the evolution of language as a key element in the evolution of mankind in terms of the development of human symbol use. (1) He approaches this question by constructing possible scenarios in which mechanisms necessary for symbolic behavior could have developed, on the basis of the state of the art in evolutionary anthropology and genetics. (2) Non-linguistic symbolic behavior such as cave art is investigated as an important clue to the developmental background to the origin of language. Creativity and innovation and a population's ability to integrate individual experiments are considered with regard to historical examples of symbolic creativity in the visual arts and natural sciences. (3) Probable linguistic 'fossils' of such linguistic innovations are examined. The results of this study allow for new proposals for a 'protolanguage' and for a theory of language within a broader philosophical and semiotic framework, and raises interesting questions as to human consciousness, universal grammar, and linguistic methodology. (Series B)

Edition details

• Publisher: John Benjamins Pub Co
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1588115186
• ISBN 13: 9781588115188
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 236