The Seeds of Speech: Language Origin and Evolution/ Jean Aitchison

By:

Aitchison, Jean

Material type: Text

TextPublication details: New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000.Description: xii, 282p. ; softbound 13.5*21 cmISBN:

978-0-521-78571-6

DDC classification:

23 401 AIT

Contents:

1. A natural curiosity: how did language begin? 2. A peculiar habit: what is language for? 3. The bother at Babel: why do languages differ so much? 4. Distinct duties: is language an independent skill? Part II. Origin: 5. The family tree: the evolutionary background 6. A devious mind: the basic requirements 7. Broken air: inherited ingredients 8. Small beginnings: first steps Part III. Evolution: 9. The secong word: the emergence of rules 10. The tower of speech: expansion 11. Time travelling: extra attachments 12. Rebuilding on the high seas: keeping going Part IV. Diffusion: 13. The widening circle: moving outwards 14. The hidden core: the hunt for universals 15. The real magician: ruling the rules 16. Unweaving the rainbow: separating the strands 17. The endless stair: past and future Symbols used in the text Notes and suggestions for further reading References Index.

Summary: Human language is a weird communication system: it has more in common with birdsong than with the calls of other primates. Jean Aitchison explores the origins of human language and how it has evolved. She likens the search to a vast prehistoric jigsaw puzzle, in which numerous fragments of evidence must be assembled. Such evidence is pieced together from a mixture of linguistic and nonlinguistic sources such as evolution theory, archaeology, psychology, and anthropology. This is an accessible and wide-ranging introduction to the origins and evolution of human language. Jean Aitchison has published widely on topics relating to human language and is well-known for her accessible, non-technical writing style; her books are widely read outside academia Huge interest in the origin and evolution of language; this book pulls together the evidence (linguistic, anthropological, psychological, sociological) more extensively than any other Pre-Canto edition of this book has sold well; publishing in Canto should widen readership still further

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Holdings
Item type	Current library	Collection	Call number	Status	Barcode
Books	Tetso College Library Language/Linguistics	Non-fiction	401 AIT (Browse shelf(Opens below))	Available	15202

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Previous	400 YUL The Study of Language:/	400 YUL The Study of Language:/	400 YUL The Study of Language:/	401 AIT The Seeds of Speech: Language Origin and Evolution/	401 JAK Fundamentals of Language:/	401 LAK Metaphors we live by:/	401 MCL The Babel Lexicon of Language english	Next

1. A natural curiosity: how did language begin?
2. A peculiar habit: what is language for?
3. The bother at Babel: why do languages differ so much?
4. Distinct duties: is language an independent skill?
Part II. Origin:
5. The family tree: the evolutionary background
6. A devious mind: the basic requirements
7. Broken air: inherited ingredients
8. Small beginnings: first steps
Part III. Evolution:
9. The secong word: the emergence of rules
10. The tower of speech: expansion
11. Time travelling: extra attachments
12. Rebuilding on the high seas: keeping going
Part IV. Diffusion:
13. The widening circle: moving outwards
14. The hidden core: the hunt for universals
15. The real magician: ruling the rules
16. Unweaving the rainbow: separating the strands
17. The endless stair: past and future
Symbols used in the text
Notes and suggestions for further reading
References
Index.

Human language is a weird communication system: it has more in common with birdsong than with the calls of other primates. Jean Aitchison explores the origins of human language and how it has evolved. She likens the search to a vast prehistoric jigsaw puzzle, in which numerous fragments of evidence must be assembled. Such evidence is pieced together from a mixture of linguistic and nonlinguistic sources such as evolution theory, archaeology, psychology, and anthropology. This is an accessible and wide-ranging introduction to the origins and evolution of human language.

Jean Aitchison has published widely on topics relating to human language and is well-known for her accessible, non-technical writing style; her books are widely read outside academia
Huge interest in the origin and evolution of language; this book pulls together the evidence (linguistic, anthropological, psychological, sociological) more extensively than any other
Pre-Canto edition of this book has sold well; publishing in Canto should widen readership still further

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