John Benjamins Publishing Company
From evolutionarily conserved frontal regions for sequence processing to human innovations for syntax
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Abstract
Empirical advances have been made in understanding how human language, in its combinatorial complexity and unbounded expressivity, may have evolved from the communication systems present in our evolutionary ancestors. However, a number of cognitive processes and neurobiological mechanisms that support language may not have evolved specifically for communication, but rather from abilities that support perception and cognition more generally. We review recent evidence from comparative behavioural and neurobiological studies on structured sequence learning in human and nonhuman primates. These studies support the notion that certain sequence learning abilities are evolutionarily conserved and engage corresponding inferior frontal brain regions across the species, regions also involved in processing language in humans. Alongside the cross-species similarities is evidence for human specialisations, illuminating the likely evolutionary pathways towards language in modern humans. We argue that cognitive abilities that were in place for animals to learn combinatorial relationships in the sensory world were available and co-opted for language in humans.
Abstract
Empirical advances have been made in understanding how human language, in its combinatorial complexity and unbounded expressivity, may have evolved from the communication systems present in our evolutionary ancestors. However, a number of cognitive processes and neurobiological mechanisms that support language may not have evolved specifically for communication, but rather from abilities that support perception and cognition more generally. We review recent evidence from comparative behavioural and neurobiological studies on structured sequence learning in human and nonhuman primates. These studies support the notion that certain sequence learning abilities are evolutionarily conserved and engage corresponding inferior frontal brain regions across the species, regions also involved in processing language in humans. Alongside the cross-species similarities is evidence for human specialisations, illuminating the likely evolutionary pathways towards language in modern humans. We argue that cognitive abilities that were in place for animals to learn combinatorial relationships in the sensory world were available and co-opted for language in humans.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introducing the Volume 1
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An Old Road Map to Draw Upon
- Computational challenges of evolving the language-ready brain 7
- Computational challenges of evolving the language-ready brain 22
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Starting from the Macaque
- Reflections on the differential organization of mirror neuron systems for hand and mouth and their role in the evolution of communication in primates 38
- Plasticity, innateness, and the path to language in the primate brain 54
- Voice, gesture and working memory in the emergence of speech 70
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Bringing in Emotion
- Relating the evolution of Music-Readiness and Language-Readiness within the context of comparative neuroprimatology 86
- Why do we want to talk? 102
- Mind the gap – moving beyond the dichotomy between intentional gestures and emotional facial and vocal signals of nonhuman primates 121
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Turn-taking and Prosociality
- From sharing food to sharing information 136
- Social manipulation, turn-taking and cooperation in apes 151
- Language origins 167
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Imitation, Pantomime and Development
- The evolutionary roots of human imitation, action understanding and symbols 183
- Pantomime and imitation in great apes 200
- From action to spoken and signed language through gesture 216
- Praxis, symbol and language 239
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Action, Tool Making and Language
- Archaeology and the evolutionary neuroscience of language 256
- Tracing the evolutionary trajectory of verbal working memory with neuro-archaeology 272
- From actions to events 289
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Meaning and Grammar Emerging
- From evolutionarily conserved frontal regions for sequence processing to human innovations for syntax 318
- The evolution of enhanced conceptual complexity and of Broca’s area 336
- Mental travels and the cognitive basis of language 352
-
The Road Map
- The comparative neuroprimatology 2018 (CNP-2018) road map for research on How the Brain Got Language 370
- Index 389
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introducing the Volume 1
-
An Old Road Map to Draw Upon
- Computational challenges of evolving the language-ready brain 7
- Computational challenges of evolving the language-ready brain 22
-
Starting from the Macaque
- Reflections on the differential organization of mirror neuron systems for hand and mouth and their role in the evolution of communication in primates 38
- Plasticity, innateness, and the path to language in the primate brain 54
- Voice, gesture and working memory in the emergence of speech 70
-
Bringing in Emotion
- Relating the evolution of Music-Readiness and Language-Readiness within the context of comparative neuroprimatology 86
- Why do we want to talk? 102
- Mind the gap – moving beyond the dichotomy between intentional gestures and emotional facial and vocal signals of nonhuman primates 121
-
Turn-taking and Prosociality
- From sharing food to sharing information 136
- Social manipulation, turn-taking and cooperation in apes 151
- Language origins 167
-
Imitation, Pantomime and Development
- The evolutionary roots of human imitation, action understanding and symbols 183
- Pantomime and imitation in great apes 200
- From action to spoken and signed language through gesture 216
- Praxis, symbol and language 239
-
Action, Tool Making and Language
- Archaeology and the evolutionary neuroscience of language 256
- Tracing the evolutionary trajectory of verbal working memory with neuro-archaeology 272
- From actions to events 289
-
Meaning and Grammar Emerging
- From evolutionarily conserved frontal regions for sequence processing to human innovations for syntax 318
- The evolution of enhanced conceptual complexity and of Broca’s area 336
- Mental travels and the cognitive basis of language 352
-
The Road Map
- The comparative neuroprimatology 2018 (CNP-2018) road map for research on How the Brain Got Language 370
- Index 389
