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This document summarizes recent research on the evolution of language. It discusses advances in the field such as new perspectives on the geographical and temporal origins of language. Current areas of focus include the genetic, anatomical, and cultural underpinnings of language. The topic remains polarized between nativist and emergentist views. Modeling and novel insights are increasingly important to address lingering speculation. A pilot experiment provided preliminary evidence that embodied cognition may have played a role in the emergence of semantic preferences. Overall, the evolution of language remains an active area of research with progress being made through diverse approaches.

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See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/278686035 New reviews and insights on language evolution [狠狠撸s] Research · June 2015 DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.3778.0642 CITATIONS 0 READS 56 1 author: Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Complementary systems for conceptual processing: Modality norms and ERPs View project Pablo Bernabeu Radboud University & Tilburg University 7 PUBLICATIONS 0 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE All content following this page was uploaded by Pablo Bernabeu on 19 June 2015. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.
New reviews and insights on language evolution Pablo Bernabeu 1,2,3 Paul Vogt 3 1Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics 2Radboud University | 3Tilburg University 10th LangUE Conference. University of Essex, 18 June 2015
A check-up review. A test compound ? Focus on origins of language: principal question > change, acquisition ? Past, present status ? Current foci ? Weaknesses, possible directions ? Pilot experiment: role of embodiment in origins, change of language 2
3
Societe Linguistique de Paris, 1866 (translated by Lefebvre et al, 2013, p. 17) Article 1. The Society of Linguistics aims to study languages, legends, traditions, customs, and documents that can inform ethnographic science. Any other objects is strictly forbidden. ART. 2. The Society does not accept any communication concerning either the origin of language or the creation of a universal language. 4
The further argument for the possession of language by mammals and birds, at least, is that they readily learn to respond to a name given them. To what extent that sense can be cultivated is shown in Sir John Lubbock's dog, which brings out a card with "o-u-t" on it when he wants to take a walk. (Jastrow, 1886, p. 556) 5
The further argument for the possession of language by mammals and birds, at least, is that they readily learn to respond to a name given them. To what extent that sense can be cultivated is shown in Sir John Lubbock's dog, which brings out a card with "o-u-t" on it when he wants to take a walk. (Jastrow, 1886, p. 556) ‘imagination’ (Aitchison, 2008, p. 17) In this admittedly speculative essay... (Deacon, 2003, p. 138) Theory and speculation are simply not empirically comparable. (Smolensky & Dupoux, 2009, p. 468) The absence of direct evidence does not, of course, prevent speculation, hypothesizing and inferencing, and in the ever-growing literature on language evolution we see all... (Pavlenko, 2014, p. 26) 6
1994 - 2015 All words included by default (cf. +language +evolution) http://wokinfo.com ? ‘Subscriber Login’ (institutional connection required) The speculation in numbers
The speculation in numbers
The speculation in numbers
The speculation in numbers
The speculation in numbers
The speculation in numbers
The speculation in numbers
Advances (Aitchison, 2008) ? Geographical Polygenesis Monogenesis from Africa ? Temporal ? 50k ya (Chomsky, 2011) ? 1.4M ya (Levinson & Holler, 2014) ? 2.6M ya (Semaw, 2000; Stutz, 2014) 14 thebrain.mcgill.ca Aitchison (2008)
Advances (Aitchison, 2008) ? Geographical Polygenesis Monogenesis from Africa ? Temporal ? 50k ya (Chomsky, 2011) Differences subject to ? 1.4M ya (Levinson & Holler, 2014) definition of language ? 2.6M ya (Semaw, 2000; Stutz, 2014) 15 thebrain.mcgill.ca Aitchison (2008)
Current foci: the underpinnings (review: Fitch, 2010) We are left 'with the material (anatomical, neural, biochemical) bases of language in humans, related phenomena in less evolved creatures, and the dynamics of populations and cultural transmission' (Hurford, 2003, p. 40). 16
Current foci: the underpinnings (review: Fitch, 2010) We are left 'with the material (anatomical, neural, biochemical) bases of language in humans, related phenomena in less evolved creatures, and the dynamics of populations and cultural transmission' (Hurford, 2003, p. 40). Mind/Brain Language-specific / general cognitive system mutated/selected structurally/socially complex 17
Current foci: the underpinnings (review: Fitch, 2010) We are left 'with the material (anatomical, neural, biochemical) bases of language in humans, related phenomena in less evolved creatures, and the dynamics of populations and cultural transmission' (Hurford, 2003, p. 40). Mind/Brain Language-specific / general cognitive system mutated/selected structurally/socially complex Genes Foxp2: initially hailed as the ‘language gene’ Older than Lg, not human-exclusive ? communication? 18
Current foci: the underpinnings (review: Fitch, 2010) We are left 'with the material (anatomical, neural, biochemical) bases of language in humans, related phenomena in less evolved creatures, and the dynamics of populations and cultural transmission' (Hurford, 2003, p. 40). Mind/Brain Language-specific / general cognitive system mutated/selected structurally/socially complex Genes Foxp2: initially hailed as the ‘language gene’ Older than Lg, not human-exclusive ? communication? Anatomy Cranium, thorax; aside, upright stand Preadaptation for Lg / co-option for Lg / Lg-independent 19
Current foci: the underpinnings (review: Fitch, 2010) We are left 'with the material (anatomical, neural, biochemical) bases of language in humans, related phenomena in less evolved creatures, and the dynamics of populations and cultural transmission' (Hurford, 2003, p. 40). Mind/Brain Language-specific / general cognitive system mutated/selected structurally/socially complex Genes Foxp2: initially hailed as the ‘language gene’ Older than Lg, not human-exclusive ? communication? Anatomy Cranium, thorax; aside, upright stand Preadaptation for Lg / co-option for Lg / Lg-independent Culture Universals vs diversity across languages Gateways: semiotic refs / tools, furniture, shelter. Ratchet effect. 20
FOUND: Large topic, polarized nativism vs emergentism ? more, different reviews?
?Modeling related to less speculation FOUND: Large topic, polarized nativism vs emergentism ? more, different reviews? Increasing use of modeling ? advantage?
?Modeling related to less speculation ?What of novel insights? FOUND: Large topic, polarized nativism vs emergentism ? more, different reviews? Increasing use of modeling ? advantage?
Thetical Grammar: social, emotional (Heine et al, 2013) Offline brain systems: symbolic representation - Secondly: symbol recursion ? grammar (Bouchard, 2013) 24 Novel insights ‘Science advances one funeral at a time’
Thetical Grammar: social, emotional Origin of music and embodied cognition (Heine et al, 2013) (Perlovksy, 2015) Offline brain systems: symbolic representation Emergent mirror systems for body Lg - Secondly: symbol recursion ? grammar (Steels & Spranger, 2012) (Bouchard, 2013) 25 Novel insights ‘Science advances one funeral at a time’
Thetical Grammar: social, emotional Origin of music and embodied cognition (Heine et al, 2013) (Perlovksy, 2015) Offline brain systems: symbolic representation Emergent mirror systems for body Lg - Secondly: symbol recursion ? grammar (Steels & Spranger, 2012) (Bouchard, 2013) Neuroarchaeology (Stout et al, 2008) The pragmatic foundations of communication: An action-oriented model of the origin of language (Adornetti & Ferretti, 2015) 26
Thetical Grammar: social, emotional Origin of music and embodied cognition (Heine et al, 2013) (Perlovksy, 2015) Offline brain systems: symbolic representation Emergent mirror systems for body Lg - Secondly: symbol recursion ? grammar (Steels & Spranger, 2012) (Bouchard, 2013) Neuroarchaeology (Stout et al, 2008) The pragmatic foundations of communication: action-oriented model of the origin of language (Adornetti & Ferretti, 2015) Embodied niche construction in the hominin lineage: semiotic structure and sustained attention in human embodied cognition (Stutz, 2014) 27
Embodied cognition: key in the emergence of private and social semiotic structuration, and hence of language Gateway: Emergence of word order preferences (replication) Extensional events ? SOV Intensional events ? SVO From Schouwstra & de Swart (2011) 28
Embodied cognition: key in the emergence of private and social semiotic structuration, and hence of language Gateway: Emergence of word order preferences (replication) Extensional events ? SOV Intensional events ? SVO From Schouwstra & de Swart (2011) 29
30 + Bodily involvement variable (within-group, 8 participants) Embodied Disembodied HYPOTHESIS: the embodiment variable should affect previous results, perhaps overrule ET.
Bodily involvement conditions (gestures/codes) greater role than previously-reported semantic biases (extensional/intensional events) on semantic preferences (SOV/SVO). 31 + Bodily involvement variable (within-group, 8 participants) Embodied Disembodied Effects (non-stat) CS: 7.3 ET: 1 Results HYPOTHESIS: the embodiment variable should affect previous results, perhaps overrule ET.
Caveats pilot: distinction int/ext fine; disemb task perceptual; instructions varied 32
Caveats pilot: distinction int/ext fine; disemb task perceptual; instructions varied Conclusions ? Large, prolific topic: multiple areas, methods ? more frequent, impersonal overviews to handle flow 33
Caveats pilot: distinction int/ext fine; disemb task perceptual; instructions varied Conclusions ? Large, prolific topic: multiple areas, methods ? more frequent, impersonal overviews to handle flow ? Polarization nativism/emergentism: move on, but how? ? Speculation relatively larger ? Need for answers + modeling + novel insights 34
Caveats pilot: distinction int/ext fine; disemb task perceptual; instructions varied Conclusions ? Large, prolific topic: multiple areas, methods ? more frequent, impersonal overviews to handle flow ? Polarization nativism/emergentism: move on, but how? ? Speculation relatively larger ? Need for answers + modeling + novel insights ? First experimental probe of LE and embodiment: preliminary ? budding account, likely to develop 35
Thanks to: ? Vinicius Macuch (Radboud U, Tilburg U) ? Sean Roberts (MPI Psycholinguistics) ? Luis Miguel Berscia (MPI Psycholinguistics) ? Yourself, for your kind attention 36
References z Adornetti & Ferretti (2015) The pragmatic foundations of… Aitchison (2008) Lifting the veil: Uncovering language origin Bouchard (2013) Arbitrary signs and the emergence of language Chomsky (2011) Language and Other Cognitive Systems Deacon (1997) The symbolic species Fitch (2010) The evolution of language Heine et al (2013) On the origin of grammar Hurford (1989) Biological evolution of the Saussurean sign as a… Jastrow (1886) The evolution of language Lefebvre et al (2013) New perspectives on the origins of language
Levinson & Holler (2014) The origin of human multi-modal… Pavlenko (2014) The bilingual mind Perlovsky (2015) Origin of music and embodied cognition Schouwstra & de Swart (2014) The semantic origins of word order Semaw (2000) The World’s oldest stone artefacts from Gona, Ethiopia Smolensky & Dupoux (2009) Universals in cognitive theories of… Steels & Spranger (2012) Emergent mirror systems for body Lg Stout et al (2008) Neural correlates of Early Stone Age toolmaking Stutz (2014) Embodied niche construction in the hominin lineage Whitney (1873) Oriental and Linguistic Studies, vol. 1 View publication stats View publication stats

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___ __ Newlanguage evolution ___ BernabeuatLangUE.pdf

  • 1. See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/278686035 New reviews and insights on language evolution [狠狠撸s] Research · June 2015 DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.3778.0642 CITATIONS 0 READS 56 1 author: Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Complementary systems for conceptual processing: Modality norms and ERPs View project Pablo Bernabeu Radboud University & Tilburg University 7 PUBLICATIONS 0 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE All content following this page was uploaded by Pablo Bernabeu on 19 June 2015. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.
  • 2. New reviews and insights on language evolution Pablo Bernabeu 1,2,3 Paul Vogt 3 1Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics 2Radboud University | 3Tilburg University 10th LangUE Conference. University of Essex, 18 June 2015
  • 3. A check-up review. A test compound ? Focus on origins of language: principal question > change, acquisition ? Past, present status ? Current foci ? Weaknesses, possible directions ? Pilot experiment: role of embodiment in origins, change of language 2
  • 4. 3
  • 5. Societe Linguistique de Paris, 1866 (translated by Lefebvre et al, 2013, p. 17) Article 1. The Society of Linguistics aims to study languages, legends, traditions, customs, and documents that can inform ethnographic science. Any other objects is strictly forbidden. ART. 2. The Society does not accept any communication concerning either the origin of language or the creation of a universal language. 4
  • 6. The further argument for the possession of language by mammals and birds, at least, is that they readily learn to respond to a name given them. To what extent that sense can be cultivated is shown in Sir John Lubbock's dog, which brings out a card with "o-u-t" on it when he wants to take a walk. (Jastrow, 1886, p. 556) 5
  • 7. The further argument for the possession of language by mammals and birds, at least, is that they readily learn to respond to a name given them. To what extent that sense can be cultivated is shown in Sir John Lubbock's dog, which brings out a card with "o-u-t" on it when he wants to take a walk. (Jastrow, 1886, p. 556) ‘imagination’ (Aitchison, 2008, p. 17) In this admittedly speculative essay... (Deacon, 2003, p. 138) Theory and speculation are simply not empirically comparable. (Smolensky & Dupoux, 2009, p. 468) The absence of direct evidence does not, of course, prevent speculation, hypothesizing and inferencing, and in the ever-growing literature on language evolution we see all... (Pavlenko, 2014, p. 26) 6
  • 8. 1994 - 2015 All words included by default (cf. +language +evolution) http://wokinfo.com ? ‘Subscriber Login’ (institutional connection required) The speculation in numbers
  • 15. Advances (Aitchison, 2008) ? Geographical Polygenesis Monogenesis from Africa ? Temporal ? 50k ya (Chomsky, 2011) ? 1.4M ya (Levinson & Holler, 2014) ? 2.6M ya (Semaw, 2000; Stutz, 2014) 14 thebrain.mcgill.ca Aitchison (2008)
  • 16. Advances (Aitchison, 2008) ? Geographical Polygenesis Monogenesis from Africa ? Temporal ? 50k ya (Chomsky, 2011) Differences subject to ? 1.4M ya (Levinson & Holler, 2014) definition of language ? 2.6M ya (Semaw, 2000; Stutz, 2014) 15 thebrain.mcgill.ca Aitchison (2008)
  • 17. Current foci: the underpinnings (review: Fitch, 2010) We are left 'with the material (anatomical, neural, biochemical) bases of language in humans, related phenomena in less evolved creatures, and the dynamics of populations and cultural transmission' (Hurford, 2003, p. 40). 16
  • 18. Current foci: the underpinnings (review: Fitch, 2010) We are left 'with the material (anatomical, neural, biochemical) bases of language in humans, related phenomena in less evolved creatures, and the dynamics of populations and cultural transmission' (Hurford, 2003, p. 40). Mind/Brain Language-specific / general cognitive system mutated/selected structurally/socially complex 17
  • 19. Current foci: the underpinnings (review: Fitch, 2010) We are left 'with the material (anatomical, neural, biochemical) bases of language in humans, related phenomena in less evolved creatures, and the dynamics of populations and cultural transmission' (Hurford, 2003, p. 40). Mind/Brain Language-specific / general cognitive system mutated/selected structurally/socially complex Genes Foxp2: initially hailed as the ‘language gene’ Older than Lg, not human-exclusive ? communication? 18
  • 20. Current foci: the underpinnings (review: Fitch, 2010) We are left 'with the material (anatomical, neural, biochemical) bases of language in humans, related phenomena in less evolved creatures, and the dynamics of populations and cultural transmission' (Hurford, 2003, p. 40). Mind/Brain Language-specific / general cognitive system mutated/selected structurally/socially complex Genes Foxp2: initially hailed as the ‘language gene’ Older than Lg, not human-exclusive ? communication? Anatomy Cranium, thorax; aside, upright stand Preadaptation for Lg / co-option for Lg / Lg-independent 19
  • 21. Current foci: the underpinnings (review: Fitch, 2010) We are left 'with the material (anatomical, neural, biochemical) bases of language in humans, related phenomena in less evolved creatures, and the dynamics of populations and cultural transmission' (Hurford, 2003, p. 40). Mind/Brain Language-specific / general cognitive system mutated/selected structurally/socially complex Genes Foxp2: initially hailed as the ‘language gene’ Older than Lg, not human-exclusive ? communication? Anatomy Cranium, thorax; aside, upright stand Preadaptation for Lg / co-option for Lg / Lg-independent Culture Universals vs diversity across languages Gateways: semiotic refs / tools, furniture, shelter. Ratchet effect. 20
  • 22. FOUND: Large topic, polarized nativism vs emergentism ? more, different reviews?
  • 23. ?Modeling related to less speculation FOUND: Large topic, polarized nativism vs emergentism ? more, different reviews? Increasing use of modeling ? advantage?
  • 24. ?Modeling related to less speculation ?What of novel insights? FOUND: Large topic, polarized nativism vs emergentism ? more, different reviews? Increasing use of modeling ? advantage?
  • 25. Thetical Grammar: social, emotional (Heine et al, 2013) Offline brain systems: symbolic representation - Secondly: symbol recursion ? grammar (Bouchard, 2013) 24 Novel insights ‘Science advances one funeral at a time’
  • 26. Thetical Grammar: social, emotional Origin of music and embodied cognition (Heine et al, 2013) (Perlovksy, 2015) Offline brain systems: symbolic representation Emergent mirror systems for body Lg - Secondly: symbol recursion ? grammar (Steels & Spranger, 2012) (Bouchard, 2013) 25 Novel insights ‘Science advances one funeral at a time’
  • 27. Thetical Grammar: social, emotional Origin of music and embodied cognition (Heine et al, 2013) (Perlovksy, 2015) Offline brain systems: symbolic representation Emergent mirror systems for body Lg - Secondly: symbol recursion ? grammar (Steels & Spranger, 2012) (Bouchard, 2013) Neuroarchaeology (Stout et al, 2008) The pragmatic foundations of communication: An action-oriented model of the origin of language (Adornetti & Ferretti, 2015) 26
  • 28. Thetical Grammar: social, emotional Origin of music and embodied cognition (Heine et al, 2013) (Perlovksy, 2015) Offline brain systems: symbolic representation Emergent mirror systems for body Lg - Secondly: symbol recursion ? grammar (Steels & Spranger, 2012) (Bouchard, 2013) Neuroarchaeology (Stout et al, 2008) The pragmatic foundations of communication: action-oriented model of the origin of language (Adornetti & Ferretti, 2015) Embodied niche construction in the hominin lineage: semiotic structure and sustained attention in human embodied cognition (Stutz, 2014) 27
  • 29. Embodied cognition: key in the emergence of private and social semiotic structuration, and hence of language Gateway: Emergence of word order preferences (replication) Extensional events ? SOV Intensional events ? SVO From Schouwstra & de Swart (2011) 28
  • 30. Embodied cognition: key in the emergence of private and social semiotic structuration, and hence of language Gateway: Emergence of word order preferences (replication) Extensional events ? SOV Intensional events ? SVO From Schouwstra & de Swart (2011) 29
  • 31. 30 + Bodily involvement variable (within-group, 8 participants) Embodied Disembodied HYPOTHESIS: the embodiment variable should affect previous results, perhaps overrule ET.
  • 32. Bodily involvement conditions (gestures/codes) greater role than previously-reported semantic biases (extensional/intensional events) on semantic preferences (SOV/SVO). 31 + Bodily involvement variable (within-group, 8 participants) Embodied Disembodied Effects (non-stat) CS: 7.3 ET: 1 Results HYPOTHESIS: the embodiment variable should affect previous results, perhaps overrule ET.
  • 33. Caveats pilot: distinction int/ext fine; disemb task perceptual; instructions varied 32
  • 34. Caveats pilot: distinction int/ext fine; disemb task perceptual; instructions varied Conclusions ? Large, prolific topic: multiple areas, methods ? more frequent, impersonal overviews to handle flow 33
  • 35. Caveats pilot: distinction int/ext fine; disemb task perceptual; instructions varied Conclusions ? Large, prolific topic: multiple areas, methods ? more frequent, impersonal overviews to handle flow ? Polarization nativism/emergentism: move on, but how? ? Speculation relatively larger ? Need for answers + modeling + novel insights 34
  • 36. Caveats pilot: distinction int/ext fine; disemb task perceptual; instructions varied Conclusions ? Large, prolific topic: multiple areas, methods ? more frequent, impersonal overviews to handle flow ? Polarization nativism/emergentism: move on, but how? ? Speculation relatively larger ? Need for answers + modeling + novel insights ? First experimental probe of LE and embodiment: preliminary ? budding account, likely to develop 35
  • 37. Thanks to: ? Vinicius Macuch (Radboud U, Tilburg U) ? Sean Roberts (MPI Psycholinguistics) ? Luis Miguel Berscia (MPI Psycholinguistics) ? Yourself, for your kind attention 36
  • 38. References z Adornetti & Ferretti (2015) The pragmatic foundations of… Aitchison (2008) Lifting the veil: Uncovering language origin Bouchard (2013) Arbitrary signs and the emergence of language Chomsky (2011) Language and Other Cognitive Systems Deacon (1997) The symbolic species Fitch (2010) The evolution of language Heine et al (2013) On the origin of grammar Hurford (1989) Biological evolution of the Saussurean sign as a… Jastrow (1886) The evolution of language Lefebvre et al (2013) New perspectives on the origins of language
  • 39. Levinson & Holler (2014) The origin of human multi-modal… Pavlenko (2014) The bilingual mind Perlovsky (2015) Origin of music and embodied cognition Schouwstra & de Swart (2014) The semantic origins of word order Semaw (2000) The World’s oldest stone artefacts from Gona, Ethiopia Smolensky & Dupoux (2009) Universals in cognitive theories of… Steels & Spranger (2012) Emergent mirror systems for body Lg Stout et al (2008) Neural correlates of Early Stone Age toolmaking Stutz (2014) Embodied niche construction in the hominin lineage Whitney (1873) Oriental and Linguistic Studies, vol. 1 View publication stats View publication stats