Why don't chimps talk and humans sing like canaries?
Author
Summary, in English
We focus on two problems with the evolutionary scenario proposed: (1) It bypasses the question of the origins of the communicative and semiotic features that make language distinct from, say, pleasant but meaningless sounds. (2) It does little to explain the absence of language in, for example, chimpanzees: Most of the selection pressures invoked apply just as strongly to chimps. We suggest how these problems could possibly be amended.
Department/s
Publishing year
2006
Language
English
Pages
287-288
Publication/Series
Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Volume
29
Issue
3
Document type
Journal article (comment)
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Topic
- Learning
- General Language Studies and Linguistics
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1469-1825