Pragmatic Grammar in Genus Homo
The question of how humans got language is crucial for understanding the uniqueness of the human mind and the cognitive resources and processes shared with nonhuman species. We discuss the origin of symbolic elements in hominins and how a pragmatic grammar emerged from action-based event-structures....
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for Psychology
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Biolinguistics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5964/bioling.11911 |
| _version_ | 1797338184192884736 |
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| author | Dieter G. Hillert Koji Fujita |
| author_facet | Dieter G. Hillert Koji Fujita |
| author_sort | Dieter G. Hillert |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The question of how humans got language is crucial for understanding the uniqueness of the human mind and the cognitive resources and processes shared with nonhuman species. We discuss the origin of symbolic elements in hominins and how a pragmatic grammar emerged from action-based event-structures. In the context of comparative neurobiological findings, we report support for the global workspace hypothesis and social brain hypothesis. In addition, reverse linguistic analysis informs us about the particular role of a pragmatic grammar stage. We assume that this stage was associated with changes to the hominin genotype. Homo erectus may have used a pragmatic grammar which consisted of two or three symbolic elements. Extended syntax and morphology, including hierarchical branching, are not based on genotype changes but may reflect cultural accumulations related to socioecological adaptations. We conclude that the biological capacity for language may have emerged already 1.8 million years ago with the appearance of genus Homo. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:27:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c23587e58b8c4fdea7bf5602c4898c81 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1450-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:27:17Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | PsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for Psychology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biolinguistics |
| spelling | doaj.art-c23587e58b8c4fdea7bf5602c4898c812024-01-31T08:19:46ZengPsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Institute for PsychologyBiolinguistics1450-34172023-09-011710.5964/bioling.11911bioling.11911Pragmatic Grammar in Genus HomoDieter G. Hillert0Koji Fujita1School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USAGraduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, JapanThe question of how humans got language is crucial for understanding the uniqueness of the human mind and the cognitive resources and processes shared with nonhuman species. We discuss the origin of symbolic elements in hominins and how a pragmatic grammar emerged from action-based event-structures. In the context of comparative neurobiological findings, we report support for the global workspace hypothesis and social brain hypothesis. In addition, reverse linguistic analysis informs us about the particular role of a pragmatic grammar stage. We assume that this stage was associated with changes to the hominin genotype. Homo erectus may have used a pragmatic grammar which consisted of two or three symbolic elements. Extended syntax and morphology, including hierarchical branching, are not based on genotype changes but may reflect cultural accumulations related to socioecological adaptations. We conclude that the biological capacity for language may have emerged already 1.8 million years ago with the appearance of genus Homo.https://doi.org/10.5964/bioling.11911comparative neurologyevolution of languagehomo erectuspragmatic grammarextended syntax |
| spellingShingle | Dieter G. Hillert Koji Fujita Pragmatic Grammar in Genus Homo Biolinguistics comparative neurology evolution of language homo erectus pragmatic grammar extended syntax |
| title | Pragmatic Grammar in Genus Homo |
| title_full | Pragmatic Grammar in Genus Homo |
| title_fullStr | Pragmatic Grammar in Genus Homo |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pragmatic Grammar in Genus Homo |
| title_short | Pragmatic Grammar in Genus Homo |
| title_sort | pragmatic grammar in genus homo |
| topic | comparative neurology evolution of language homo erectus pragmatic grammar extended syntax |
| url | https://doi.org/10.5964/bioling.11911 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dieterghillert pragmaticgrammaringenushomo AT kojifujita pragmaticgrammaringenushomo |