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Introduction

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Language Evolution and Developmental Impairments

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Abstract

The evolution of language is described as a continuous establishment of different linguistic capacities. Developmental language impairments may have their origin in different evolutionary stages and may therefore call for different methods of diagnoses and treatment. These possibilities are discussed within the conceptual framework of linguistics and evolutionary biology. The chapter presents a brief review of two fields of research which relate to language evolution: “mirror neurons” in the monkey and human brain, and learning of linguistic signals by infants prior to semantic knowledge. It also presents an introductory discussion of the evolution of meaning in language. It is argued that language–culture interactions constrain the evolution of language in historical time and influence the definition of typical language development.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Arild Lian

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  1. Arild Lian
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Lian, A. (2016). Introduction. In: Language Evolution and Developmental Impairments. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-58746-6_1

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