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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.

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