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Bio-Linguistic Plasticity and Origin of Language

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Darwinian Biolinguistics

Part of the book series: Perspectives in Pragmatics, Philosophy & Psychology ((PEPRPHPS,volume 12))

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Abstract

This chapter is devoted to the application of knowledge on functional and, in particular, evolutionary plasticity, these being two of the most important issues concerning biolinguistics. On the basis of the previous chapter, we have summarized a scheme consisting of four levels of evolutionary innovation processes: (1) the level of the “mechanical trigger" of innovation; (2) the level of performative innovation compatibility in the context of evolutionary development of the structure; (3) the level of natural selection within population genetics; (4) the level of adaptation and cultural selection. These four levels are considered in subsections on the origin of language, the development of historical-natural languages, language selection, the mechanisms of adaptation/maladaptation of cultural products and possible (but not certain) developmental outcomes.

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  1. Department of Cognitive Science, University of Messina, Messina, Italy

    Antonino Pennisi & Alessandra Falzone

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Pennisi, A., Falzone, A. (2016). Bio-Linguistic Plasticity and Origin of Language. In: Darwinian Biolinguistics . Perspectives in Pragmatics, Philosophy & Psychology, vol 12. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47688-9_14

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