Biolinguistics : exploring the biology of language

By:

Jenkins, Lyle

Material type: Text

TextPublication details: Cambridge [England] ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2000.Description: xiii, 264 pISBN:

0521652332
9780521652339
0521003911
9780521003919

Subject(s):

DDC classification:

401 JEN

Contents:

Introduction ---- 1. The unification problem --- 2. Knowledge and use of language --- 3. Acquisition (growth) of language --- 4. Mechanisms of language --- 5. Evolution of language --- 6. Conclusion.

Summary: This book investigates the nature of human language and its importance for the study of the mind. In particular, it examines current work on the biology of language. Lyle Jenkins reviews the evidence that language is best characterized by a generative grammar of the kind introduced by Noam Chomsky in the 1950s and developed in various directions since that time. He then discusses research into the development of language which tries to capture both the underlying universality of human language, as well as the diversity found in individual languages (Universal Grammar). Finally, he discusses a variety of approaches to language design and the evolution of language. An important theme is the integration of biolinguistics into the natural sciences - the 'unification problem'. Jenkins also answers criticisms of the biolinguistic approach from a number of other perspectives, including evolutionary psychology, cognitive science, connectionism and ape language research, among others. -- Publisher description.

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Holdings
Item type	Current library	Collection	Call number	Status	Date due	Barcode	Item holds
Reference Books	Main Library Reference	Reference	401 JEN (Browse shelf(Opens below))	Available		009025

Total holds: 0

Included Index.

Introduction ----
1. The unification problem ---
2. Knowledge and use of language ---
3. Acquisition (growth) of language ---
4. Mechanisms of language ---
5. Evolution of language ---
6. Conclusion.

This book investigates the nature of human language and its importance for the study of the mind. In particular, it examines current work on the biology of language. Lyle Jenkins reviews the evidence that language is best characterized by a generative grammar of the kind introduced by Noam Chomsky in the 1950s and developed in various directions since that time. He then discusses research into the development of language which tries to capture both the underlying universality of human language, as well as the diversity found in individual languages (Universal Grammar). Finally, he discusses a variety of approaches to language design and the evolution of language. An important theme is the integration of biolinguistics into the natural sciences - the 'unification problem'. Jenkins also answers criticisms of the biolinguistic approach from a number of other perspectives, including evolutionary psychology, cognitive science, connectionism and ape language research, among others. -- Publisher description.

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