The Language Myth: Why Language Is Not an Instinct

Evans, Vyvyan

ISBN 10: 1107619750 / ISBN 13: 9781107619753

Edité par Cambridge University Press, 2014

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N° de réf. du vendeur ABE-1752125754523

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: The Language Myth: Why Language Is Not an Instinct
• Éditeur: Cambridge University Press
• Date de parution: 2014
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN à 10 chiffres: 1107619750
• ISBN à 13 chiffres: 9781107619753
• Reliure: Soft cover
• Édition: 1st Edition
• État de l'article: As New

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Synopsis

Language is central to our lives, the cultural tool that arguably sets us apart from other species. Some scientists have argued that language is innate, a type of unique human 'instinct' pre-programmed in us from birth. In this book, Vyvyan Evans argues that this received wisdom is, in fact, a myth. Debunking the notion of a language 'instinct', Evans demonstrates that language is related to other animal forms of communication; that languages exhibit staggering diversity; that we learn our mother tongue drawing on general properties and abilities of the human mind, rather than an inborn 'universal' grammar; that language is not autonomous but is closely related to other aspects of our mental lives; and that, ultimately, language and the mind reflect and draw upon the way we interact with others in the world. Compellingly written and drawing on cutting-edge research, The Language Myth sets out a forceful alternative to the received wisdom, showing how language and the mind really work.

À propos de l?auteur

Vyv Evans is Professor of Linguistics in the School of Linguistics and English Language at Bangor University.