Language Evolution and Syntactic Theory

Erscheinungsjahr 2009
ISBN: 978-0-521-89530-9
Verlag: Cambridge University Press

Buch, Englisch, 236 Seiten, Format (B × H): 157 mm x 235 mm, Gewicht: 501 g

Reihe: Approaches to the Evolution of Language

Evolution has not typically been recognised by linguists as a constraining factor when developing linguistic theories. This book demonstrates that our theories of language must reflect the fact that language has evolved. It critiques a currently dominant framework in the field of linguistics - the Minimalist Program - by showing how it fails to take evolution into account. It approaches the question of the evolution of human language in a novel way by applying findings from the field of evolutionary biology to language. Key properties associated with typically evolving systems are identified in language, and the shortcomings of the Minimalist Program in its outright rejection of these features are exposed. The book will be of interest to individual researchers and advanced students in linguistics, psychology, biology, anthropology and cognitive science.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Kinsella, Anna R.

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Sprachwissenschaft Grammatik, Syntax, Morphologie
• Geisteswissenschaften Sprachwissenschaft Historische & Vergleichende Sprachwissenschaft, Sprachtypologie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Constraining our theory of language; 2. Language as a perfect system; 3. Language as an evolvable system; 4. Language as a recursive system; 5. Language as a minimal system; 6. Towards an evolvable theory of syntax.

Über Autor(innen)

Kinsella, Anna R.
Anna R. Kinsella is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Language Evolution & Computation Research Unit in the Department of Linguistics & English Language at the University of Edinburgh.