The First Word by Christine Kenneally
The Search for the Origins of Language
An accessible exploration of how language might have arisen and evolved, weaving together evidence from linguistics, evolution, genetics, primatology, archaeology, and child development to argue that speech emerged through intertwined biological and cultural processes. It surveys major debates—sudden versus gradual origins, gesture versus voice, and uniquely human traits versus shared primate foundations—and examines findings from ape communication, the FOXP2 gene, and the fossil record. Through interviews and on-the-ground reporting, it captures a scientific field overturning old certainties and converging on a nuanced, multidisciplinary account of how humans came to talk.
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- Published
- 2007
- Nationality
- Australian
- Length
- Moderate
- Pages
- 368
- Original Language
- English
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