Evolutionary principles and the emergence of syntax

Abstract

The belief that syntax is an innate, autonomous, species-specific module is highly questionable. Syntax demonstrates the mosaic nature of evolutionary change, in that it made use of (and led to the enhancement of) numerous preexisting neurocognitive features. It is best understood as an emergent characteristic of the explosion of semantic complexity that occurred during hominid evolution.

The conscious and the unconscious: A package deal

“…There is currently an intense debate on whether there is some mechanism that is specific and exclusive to language, and whether this mechanism is genetically determined (see, e.g., Schoenemann & Wang 1996). The notion that language evolves to be adaptive to human's cognitive capacity has been gaining more and more attention of late (Christiansen 1994;Deacon 1997); it is mentioned in the target article as well.…”

Brain-Language Coevolution in Lexical Chance

“…Deacon (1992Deacon ( , 1997) also discusses the sequential and combinatorial functions of the ventral prefrontal areas (see the discussion in section 3), and suggests the computation performed by the ventral prefrontal circuits for word order based on aphasic studies. Since such structures are ubiquitous in the outside world, from scientific taxonomies to the planning of a day's activities, it Stands to reason that language would reflect this in its structure (Simon 1962, Wang 1984, Schoenemann -Wang 1996. Since such structures are ubiquitous in the outside world, from scientific taxonomies to the planning of a day's activities, it Stands to reason that language would reflect this in its structure (Simon 1962, Wang 1984, Schoenemann -Wang 1996.…”