The origins of complex language : an inquiry into the evolutionary beginnings of sentences, syllables, and truth

This book proposes a new theory of the origins of human language ability and presents an original account of the early evolution of language. The author shows what language itself reveals about its own and human origins and evolution. He argues that in certain unexpected ways language does not reflect what it is used for, and that these reveal important clues about its evolutionary origin. His account explains why humans are the only language-using animals, challenges the assumption that language is a consequence of intelligence, and offers a new perspective on human uniqueness. Original in conception, brilliantly executed, stylishly written, this book will attract a wide range of readers interested in the evolution and origins of language.