The Origins of Language: What Nonhuman Primates Can Tell Us (School for Advanced Research Advanced Seminar Series) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0933452594 ISBN 13: 9780933452596

Publisher: School for Advanced Research Press, 1999

Synopsis

Is human language unique in the animal world, or does it have meaningful precursors in animal communication? In The Origins of Language, ten primatologists and paleoanthropologists conduct a comprehensive examination of the nonhuman primate data, discussing different views of what language is and suggesting how the primatological perspective can be used to fashion more rigorous theories of language origins and evolution. Together, the essays make a powerful case against the position that language is an innate biological system unique to humans and demonstrate that many aspects of language likely have a long evolutionary history-one that extends back beyond hominids to encompass our closest living relatives in the animal world.

About this title

About the Author

Barbara J. King is Professor for Teaching Excellence, College of William and Mary.

Review

[A]ltogether this book stimulates many ideas from one approach to language origins. It is well written, thoroughly referenced, and makes a substantial contribution to the ongoing discussion of this issue. --Anne Zeller, The Semiotic Review of Books, vol. 14.2 (2004)

Edition details

• Publisher: School for Advanced Research Press
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0933452594
• ISBN 13: 9780933452596
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 464
• Editor: King Barbara J.