The Dawn of Language

Name: The Dawn of Language
Brand: Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand
SKU: 9781529411416
Price: 29.99 NZD
Availability: InStock

The story of how we came to talk

By Sverker Johansson

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3.98

( 567 ratings, 82 reviews)

Summary

The Dawn of Language by Sverker Johansson explores the fascinating evolution of human language, tracing its origins from ancient times to the present. The book delves into the cognitive and social factors that have influenced language development, offering insights into how our ability to communicate shapes human culture and thought. Combining elements of philosophy and psychology, it provides a comprehensive look at the interplay between language and the human mind.
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Format: Paperback / softback

$29⁹⁹

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The Dawn of Language

$29⁹⁹

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are fascinated by the evolution of human language and its impact on society and culture. It delves into the origins of language, offering intriguing insights into how we communicate and what it reveals about human nature. Perfect for those with an interest in philosophy and psychology, it provides a compelling exploration of linguistic development throughout history.

The Dawn of Language

An erudite, tightly woven and beautifully written account of one of humanity's greatest mysteries - the origins of language.

Description

"A model of popular-science writing" - STEVEN POOLE

Who was "the first speaker" and what was their first message?

An erudite, tightly woven and beautifully written account of one of humanity's greatest mysteries—the origins of language.

Drawing on evidence from many fields, including archaeology, anthropology, neurology, and linguistics, Sverker Johansson weaves these disparate threads together to show how our human ancestors evolved into language users. The Dawn of Language provides a fascinating survey of how grammar came into being and the differences or similarities between languages spoken around the world, before exploring how language eventually emerged in the very remote human past.

Our intellectual and physiological changes through the process of evolution both have a bearing on our ability to acquire language. But to what extent is the evolution of language dependent on genes, or on the environment? How has language evolved further, and how is it changing now, in the process of globalisation? And which aspects of language ensure that robots are not yet intelligent enough to reconstruct how language has evolved?

Johansson's far-reaching, authoritative, and research-based approach to language is brought to life through dozens of astonishing examples, both human and animal, in a fascinatingly erudite and entertaining volume for anyone who has ever contemplated not just why we speak the way we do, but why we speak at all.

Translated from the Swedish by Frank Perry

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Elegantly written and intellectually thrilling, The Dawn of Language is praised as a model of popular-science writing, balancing competing ideas with reason. It offers a fascinating narrative and an educational journey that provides insights into the evolution of human language, with Sverker Johansson's enthusiastic writing style making the complex topic both engaging and enlightening.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529411416

Publisher: Quercus Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 September 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: MacLehose Press

Contributors:

Translated by Frank Perry
Translated by Frank Perry

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 32.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 302g

Pages: 432

Collections

Education & Reference Non-Fiction Philosophy & Psychology Sverker Johansson

About the Author

SVERKER JOHANSSON, Doctor of Philosophy in Physics and Master of Philosophy in Linguistics, was born 1961 in Lund in the southern parts of Sweden. He is a senior advisor at Dalarna University, has conducted research at CERN in Switzerland and participated in EVOLANG, the leading international conference for research on the origins and evolution of language, since 2006.

Through a bot that he programmed, Lsjbot, Johansson is behind an estimated 8% of all articles on Swedish Wikipedia, covering everything from fungi to municipalities in the Philippines.