Episode notes
Series: Language & Linguistics
Language Evolution; The Evolution of Language — Morten H. Christiansen and Simon Kirby (editors); W. Tecumseh Fitch
These works examine how human language evolved and why other species lack equivalent capacities.
They bring together evidence from linguistics, evolutionary biology, neuroscience, and animal communication.
Language is analyzed through its components rather than treated as a single unexplained ability.
Competing proposals consider gradual change, biological inheritance, and possible forms of protolanguage.
The discussion connects the origins of speech and syntax to broader questions about human cognition.
Explore: Language & Linguistics
Related episodes: Parole et Musique - Stanislas Deheane · Evolutionary Psychology and Development (Palacios et al.)