Dawn: The Origins of Language and the Modern Human Mind - Softcover

Smits, Rik

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1412862655 ISBN 13: 9781412862653

Publisher: Routledge, 1987

Synopsis

In this work, originally published in Dutch, Rik Smits theorizes that language could not have developed originally as a system of communication. It is, instead, the result of combining separate abilities, each of which developed independently to aid the survival of early humans. Lacking strength and speed, man relies on wisdom for survival. Smits theorizes that human skills in calculation and estimation continued to develop until they were sufficient to accommodate a system as complex as grammar.

Only after our linguistic ability emerged could humans think logically and share our reasoning with others, at which point almost everything we now call culture began to flourish. Smits concludes that language cannot have long predated the invention of agriculture in the Middle East, some 14,000 years ago. The huge advance in civilization represented by language made abstract powers of reasoning indispensable for the first time, along with highly developed concepts of identity, past, present, and future, all of which rely upon language.

This explanation of the origins of language throws new light on cave paintings by Cro-Magnon man, whose masterpieces date from about 40,000 to 15,000 years ago. Anatomically Cro-Magnons were modern humans, but they had no language in the modern sense. Their absence of language gave them no true sense of individual identity.

This translation was made possible by a grant from the Dutch Foundation for Literature.

About this title

About the Author:

Rik Smits is a linguist and science journalist from The Netherlands. He is the author of several books, including The Puzzle of Left-Handedness.

Review:

“The appeal of the book is Smits’ knack for describing important and fascinating aspects of the human mind. . . . For those who enjoy reading about human prehistory and history, Dawn is well worth a look.”

—David S. Kreiner, PsycCRITIQUES

“Smits records its genesis with drive and gusto. He launches an original, personal theory of speaking man.”

—de Volkskrant

“A book anyone even remotely interested in language should read.”

—Kijk

“A fascinating quest for the biologically anchored unicity of mankind. . . . Smits deftly imparts the reader with the origins of this enigma as well as speculating compellingly about its solution.”

—Intermediair

“We look at the acquisition of language from a wide array of different scientific disciplines, from biology to paleontology, from anthropology to psychology, with excursions into art, literature and philosophy. That is what makes his book so enthralling. Was Smits perhaps influenced by the work and success of Dan Brown? I don’t know, but from a linguistic point of view the book is quite spectacular, and there’s nothing against that.”

—FoolcoloR magazine

“A tour de force in natural history which is not only utterly believable but also never becomes boring.”

—De Standaard

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 1987
• ISBN 10: 1412862655
• ISBN 13: 9781412862653
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 230