Language evolution: syntax before phonology?

  • Katie Collier
    Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  • Balthasar Bickel
    Department of Comparative Linguistics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  • Carel P. van Schaik
    Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  • Marta B. Manser
    Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  • Simon W. Townsend
    Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

書誌事項

公開日
2014-08-07
権利情報
  • https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/
DOI
  • 10.1098/rspb.2014.0263
公開者
The Royal Society

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説明

<jats:p>Phonology and syntax represent two layers of sound combination central to language's expressive power. Comparative animal studies represent one approach to understand the origins of these combinatorial layers. Traditionally, phonology, where meaningless sounds form words, has been considered a simpler combination than syntax, and thus should be more common in animals. A linguistically informed review of animal call sequences demonstrates that phonology in animal vocal systems is rare, whereas syntax is more widespread. In the light of this and the absence of phonology in some languages, we hypothesize that syntax, present in all languages, evolved before phonology.</jats:p>

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