The Origins of Complex Language An Inquiry into the Evolutionary Beginnings of Sentences, Syllables, and Truth

by Carstairs-McCarthy, Andrew

• ISBN13: 9780198238218
• ISBN10: 0198238215
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-06-10
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

This book proposes a new theory of the origins of human language ability and presents an original account of the early evolution of language. It explains why humans are the only language-using animals, challenges the assumption that language is a consequence of intelligence, and offers a newperspective on human uniqueness. The author draws on evidence from archaeology, linguistics, cognitive science, and evolutionary biology. Making no assumptions about the reader's prior knowledge he first provides an introductory but critical survey of all sources of evidence for language evolution. He then considers what languageitself reveals about its own and human origins and evolution. He shows that certain central aspects of language do not, unexpectedly, reflect what they are used for, are maladapted for their function. He considers why this should be, and argues that these odd aspects of language reveal importantclues about its evolutionary origin. The Origins of Complex Language fulfils the promise of its title. In doing so it turns upside down conventional theories about the relation between cognition and expression, truth and reference, and the co-evolution of mind and body. Original in conception, brilliantly executed, stylishly written,this book will attract a wide range of readers interested in the evolution and origins of language.

Table of Contents

List of Figures and Tables	x
Abbreviations	xi
Introduction	1	(7)
The Puzzle: What was Rudimentary Language Like?	1	(1)
The Importance of the `Outsider's' Perspective	2	(4)
Plan of the Book	6	(2)
The Peculiarities of Language	8	(26)
Three Peculiarities of Human Language	8	(2)
Vocabulary Size	10	(3)
Duality of Patterning	13	(2)
The Distinction between Sentences and Noun Phrases	15	(19)
Alternative syntax 1: No syntax	15	(1)
Alternative syntax 2: Spatiotemporal coordinates and the type/token distinction	16	(5)
Alternative syntax 3: Categorial uniformity	21	(6)
Actual syntax: An outsider's view	27	(7)
Truth and Reference	34	(32)
Are Truth and Reference Distinguishable Nongrammatically?	34	(1)
Frege	35	(6)
Wittgenstein	41	(7)
Strawson	48	(12)
Subjects and particulars	49	(5)
Subjects, predicates, and negation	54	(2)
Particulars, propositions, and nominalizations	56	(4)
Plato	60	(6)
Falsity and non-existence	61	(2)
Syllables and sentences	63	(3)
Attempts to Solve the Problems	66	(41)
The Search for Explanations	66	(1)
Vocabulary Size	66	(3)
Duality of Patterning	69	(7)
Call blending	70	(1)
Sound symbolism, phonetic assimilation, and semantic drift	71	(4)
Phonological self-organization	75	(1)
The Sentence/NP Distinction	76	(31)
Universal Grammar, propositions, and predicate-argument structure	77	(5)
Propositions and auxiliaries	82	(3)
The thing-event space and cognitive grammer	85	(6)
Topics, themes, thetic versus categorical judgements, and processing	91	(5)
Protolanguage	96	(4)
The hierarchical architecture of complexity	100	(3)
Gesture and sign language	103	(4)
A Different Solution	107	(69)
Scope of the Solution	107	(1)
Some Semantic Characteristics of Vocabulary and Grammar	108	(17)
Disjunctive categories	108	(2)
Principles guiding vocabulary acquisition	110	(2)
Vocabulary acquisition principles in inflectional morphology	112	(11)
Evolutionary implications	123	(2)
The Descent of the Larynx	125	(4)
Our Ancestors' Dilemma	129	(2)
Resolving the Dilemma: Vocabulary Expansion and Duality of Patterning	131	(3)
Resolving the Dilemma: A Phonological Source for Syntax	134	(42)
Syllables: Psychological reality and phonetic motivation	134	(5)
Syllables: Internal organization	139	(4)
The syllable as a model for sentence structure	143	(5)
Compliance with the syllabic model: Spatiotemporal and Monocategoric	148	(3)
Compliance with the syllabic model: Syntax-as-it-is	151	(4)
Margin-like positions in syntax	155	(8)
Verbs, auxiliaries, and the syllabic model	163	(6)
Verbs and direct objects	169	(2)
Topicalization and cognitive grammer: Some syllable-derived implications	171	(2)
Early versus modern syntax	173	(3)
Apes, Anthropology, and the Brain	176	(50)
Kinds of Complementary Evidence	176	(1)
Archaeology and Biological Anthropology	177	(17)
The timing of archaeological and linguistic developments	177	(5)
The original impetus for vocal-tract changes	182	(2)
Tool manufacture, accurate throwing, and speech	184	(5)
Brain size and encephalization	189	(2)
Social functions of language	191	(3)
The Brain	194	(21)
Neurological and linguistic correspondences	195	(8)
Brain-language coevolution and vocal-tract changes	203	(5)
Mental representations, conceptual structure, and (dis)continuism	208	(4)
The grammatical structure of sign language	212	(3)
Apes and Language	215	(10)
Synonymy avoidance by chimpanzees	216	(2)
The nature of apes' sign combinations	218	(4)
A bonobo's understanding of spoken English	222	(3)
Conclusion	225	(1)
Just How Unique Are We?	226	(6)
A Surprising Outcome	226	(1)
Linguistic and Cognitive Evolution	227	(1)
The Demotion of Propositional Thought and Knowledge	227	(3)
Why Humans?	230	(2)
Appendix: Sentences, Statements, and Propositions	232	(3)
References	235	(14)
Further Reading	249	(4)
Name Index	253	(3)
Subject Index	256