The Dawn of Language - Sverker Johansson

An entertaining and stimulating deep dive for anyone who has ever contemplated not just why we speak the way we do, but why we speak at all. The book is divided into three parts - language, origin and origin of language - and is packed with colourful examples. Part 1 - Language as an isolated phenomenon - How do languages develop, what are the differences and similarities between the languages spoken around the world? Chapters on the origin and use of grammar. Part 2 - Evolution of man - Intellectual development (from Neanderthal to social guru), but also physiological changes in evolution (e.g. brain capacity compared to apes) that have a bearing on our ability to develop language. Nature versus nurture is also discussed, to what extent is language development dependent on genes and environment? Both play a role, but perhaps have less impact than initially you think. Part 3 - Origin of language - How language has evolved, who was the first speaker, what was his/her first message? How has language developed further, and how is it changing now? How globalization has influenced language? How does programming language relate to normal language development? Which aspects of language ensure that robots are not yet intelligent enough to handle the complex issues or reconstruct language development? Whereas Harari's Sapiens perhaps uses different theories to speculate how certain developments came about, Johansson's is approach to language is analytical and research-based. The resul
více informací a parametry