Group size, vocal grooming and the origins of language
I argue that speech and language evolved through a series of stages individually designed to break through successive glass ceilings on group size. Language was simply the last of these (and hence evolved late in hominin evolution), but its precursors (laughter and singing) each played a crucial rol...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Journal article |
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Springer US
2016
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| _version_ | 1826262925395886080 |
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| author | Dunbar, R |
| author_facet | Dunbar, R |
| author_sort | Dunbar, R |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | I argue that speech and language evolved through a series of stages individually designed to break through successive glass ceilings on group size. Language was simply the last of these (and hence evolved late in hominin evolution), but its precursors (laughter and singing) each played a crucial role in preparing the way for speech production. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T19:43:32Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:217a68f3-78cb-471c-8914-1e659a5a7dcb |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T19:43:32Z |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publisher | Springer US |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:217a68f3-78cb-471c-8914-1e659a5a7dcb2022-03-26T11:33:37ZGroup size, vocal grooming and the origins of languageJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:217a68f3-78cb-471c-8914-1e659a5a7dcbSymplectic Elements at OxfordSpringer US2016Dunbar, RI argue that speech and language evolved through a series of stages individually designed to break through successive glass ceilings on group size. Language was simply the last of these (and hence evolved late in hominin evolution), but its precursors (laughter and singing) each played a crucial role in preparing the way for speech production. |
| spellingShingle | Dunbar, R Group size, vocal grooming and the origins of language |
| title | Group size, vocal grooming and the origins of language |
| title_full | Group size, vocal grooming and the origins of language |
| title_fullStr | Group size, vocal grooming and the origins of language |
| title_full_unstemmed | Group size, vocal grooming and the origins of language |
| title_short | Group size, vocal grooming and the origins of language |
| title_sort | group size vocal grooming and the origins of language |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dunbarr groupsizevocalgroomingandtheoriginsoflanguage |