The Nature of Language (eBook)

Evolution, Paradigms and Circuits

Dieter Hillert (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2014 | 2014
XV, 201 Seiten
Springer New York (Verlag)
978-1-4939-0609-3 (ISBN)

Infos

The Nature of Language addresses one of the most fundamental questions of mankind: how did language evolve, and what are the neurobiological and cognitive foundations  of language processing? These questions are explored from different perspectives to discuss the building blocks of language evolution and how they developed in the way they can be found in modern humans. Primarily, neural mapping methods of cognition presented in this research provide extremely valuable data about the neural circuitries that are involved in language processing. Thus, the book explores and illustrates cortical mapping in typical language patterns, but also cortical mapping in atypical populations that fail to process particular language aspects. A neurobiological stance is used to inquire about how language abilities of our species evolved to communicate for the purposes of conveying information such as ideas, emotions, goals, and humor. The evolutionary language model presented builds on the cognitive abilities of our ancestors, and it allows readers to draw a variety of expansive conclusions from that, including the idea that human language as an interface system provides the basis for consciousness.

Dieter Hillert, born in Germany, is a cognitive scientist and best known for studying language through cognitive, neurobiological and comparative approaches.  He holds positions as an Adjunct Professor and Research Scientist, and is affiliated with San Diego State University, University of California, San Diego, and University of Utah.  He also works as a science writer on topics related to mind and brain.

 

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The book The Nature of Language addresses one of the most fundamental questions of mankind: how did language evolve, and what are the neurobiological and cognitive foundations of language processing? This monograph explores these questions from different perspectives to discuss the building blocks of language evolution and how they developed in the way they can be found in modern humans. Furthermore, primarily neural mapping methods of cognition presented in this research provide extremely valuable data about the neural circuitries that are involved in language processing. Thus, the book explores and illustrates cortical mapping in typical language patterns, but also cortical mapping in atypical populations that fail to process particular language aspects. In sum, an evolutionary stance is used to explore how language abilities of the Homo sapiens evolved to communicate for the purposes of conveying information, ideas, emotions, goals, humor, etc. This book presents an evolutionary language model that builds on the cognitive abilities of our evolutionary ancestors, and it allows readers to draw a variety of expansive conclusions from that, including the idea that human language as an interface system provides the basis for consciousness.

Inhalt

Preface 6
Introduction 7
Contents 10
About the Author 12
Part I 13
Evolution 13
Chapter 1 14
The Human Lineage 14
1.1 .An Overview 14
1.2 Fossil Evidence 16
References 24
Chapter 2 26
Protomusic and Speech 26
2.1 The Role of Protomusic 26
2.2 Evolutionary Milestones 28
References 34
Chapter 3 36
Genetic Foundations 36
3.1 Language-Related Genes 36
3.2 The Role of the Basal Ganglia 38
References 43
Chapter 4 45
The Rise of Cognition 45
4.1 Comparative Studies 45
4.2 Proto-Cognition 61
References 69
Part II 74
Paradigms 74
Chapter 5 75
The Human Language System 75
5.1 Biological Disposition 75
5.2 Linguistic Wiring 78
References 81
Chapter 6 83
Semantics and Syntax 83
6.1 Sentence Structures 83
6.2 Neural Nets 90
References 94
Chapter 7 96
Lexical Concepts 96
7.1 Constructions 96
7.2 Mental Space 101
References 103
Chapter 8 105
Figurative Language 105
8.1 Lexical Dark Matters 105
8.2 Idioms and Metaphors 106
References 112
Part III 113
Circuits 113
Chapter 9 114
Generating Sentences 114
9.1 Structural Complexity 114
9.2 The Role of Working Memory 122
References 128
Chapter 10 132
Accessing Word Meanings 132
10.1 Lexical Concepts 132
10.2 Figures of Speech 139
References 154
Chapter 11 162
Atypical Language 162
11.1 Aphasia 162
11.2 Communicative Disorders 168
References 175
Chapter 12 184
Language Acquisition 184
12.1 .The Genetic Program 184
12.2 .The Multilingual Brain 186
References 194
Prospects 197
Index 199

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 30.4.2014
• Zusatzinfo: XV, 201 p. 89 illus., 55 illus. in color.
• Verlagsort: New York
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Psychologie ► Allgemeine Psychologie
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Psychologie ► Biopsychologie / Neurowissenschaften
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Psychologie ► Verhaltenstherapie
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Sprach- / Literaturwissenschaft ► Sprachwissenschaft
• Schlagworte: cognition and language processes • genetic basis of language • linguistic evolution • natural selection and language development • neurological foundations of language • neurological mapping of language processes
• ISBN-10: 1-4939-0609-7 / 1493906097
• ISBN-13: 978-1-4939-0609-3 / 9781493906093