Why we talk : the evolutionary origins of language /

In this book on the evolutionary origins of human language, Dessalles (Ecole Nationale Superieure des Telecommunications, Paris) addresses three important themes: language's place in evolutionary history, the functional anatomy of speech, and the ethology of language. Readers first learn that language is a digital, combinatorial code of communication not unlike other systems in nature; however, the available evidence also suggests that modern humans are naturally predisposed to speech and endowed with a specific biological faculty for language. The author explores in detail the link between structural elements of language and their putative functions. In particular, the focus is on aspects of phonology, syntax, and semantics. In the final section, Dessalles examines casual conversation from an ethological perspective. Since evolutionary theory would dictate that language serves ultimately as an adaptation, the author argues that such an advantage is found by considering language in the wider context of social structure and interpersonal relationships. Specifically, the ability to form large coalitions is hypothesized to have been a critical component of early human societies in supporting group cohesion and information transfer. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. R. A. Delgado Jr. CUNY Hunter College