The origins of language in teaching

Kevin N. Laland

doi:10.3758/s13423-016-1077-7

The origins of language in teaching

Kevin N. Laland^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

I introduce seven criteria for determining the validity of competing theories for the original function of language. I go on to present a novel explanation that meets all the criteria: language originally evolved to teach kin. I suggest that the use of symbols subsequently generated evolutionary feedback at two levels, in the form of self-modified selection pressures that favored structures in the mind that functioned to manipulate and use symbols with efficiency, and cultural selection on languages for learnability.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	225-231
Number of pages	7
Journal	Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
Volume	24
Issue number	1
Early online date	1 Jul 2016
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-016-1077-7
Publication status	Published - Feb 2017

Keywords

Evolution
Language
Teaching

Access to Document

10.3758/s13423-016-1077-7Licence: CC BY

Laland_2016_PB&R_Language_CC
© The Author(s) 2016. This is an Open Access article which is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.
Final published version, 279 KB

Cite this

@article{c150dea1773b4f22b24bbfe3504124f4,

title = "The origins of language in teaching",

abstract = "I introduce seven criteria for determining the validity of competing theories for the original function of language. I go on to present a novel explanation that meets all the criteria: language originally evolved to teach kin. I suggest that the use of symbols subsequently generated evolutionary feedback at two levels, in the form of self-modified selection pressures that favored structures in the mind that functioned to manipulate and use symbols with efficiency, and cultural selection on languages for learnability.",

keywords = "Evolution, Language, Teaching",

author = "Laland, \{Kevin N.\}",

note = "Research supported in part by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation.",

year = "2017",

month = feb,

doi = "10.3758/s13423-016-1077-7",

language = "English",

volume = "24",

pages = "225--231",

journal = "Psychonomic Bulletin \& Review",

issn = "1069-9384",

publisher = "Springer",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The origins of language in teaching

AU - Laland, Kevin N.

N1 - Research supported in part by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation.

PY - 2017/2

Y1 - 2017/2

N2 - I introduce seven criteria for determining the validity of competing theories for the original function of language. I go on to present a novel explanation that meets all the criteria: language originally evolved to teach kin. I suggest that the use of symbols subsequently generated evolutionary feedback at two levels, in the form of self-modified selection pressures that favored structures in the mind that functioned to manipulate and use symbols with efficiency, and cultural selection on languages for learnability.

AB - I introduce seven criteria for determining the validity of competing theories for the original function of language. I go on to present a novel explanation that meets all the criteria: language originally evolved to teach kin. I suggest that the use of symbols subsequently generated evolutionary feedback at two levels, in the form of self-modified selection pressures that favored structures in the mind that functioned to manipulate and use symbols with efficiency, and cultural selection on languages for learnability.

KW - Evolution

KW - Language

KW - Teaching

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84976501391

U2 - 10.3758/s13423-016-1077-7

DO - 10.3758/s13423-016-1077-7

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84976501391

SN - 1069-9384

VL - 24

SP - 225

EP - 231

JO - Psychonomic Bulletin & Review

JF - Psychonomic Bulletin & Review

IS - 1

ER -

The origins of language in teaching

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Exploring the Evolutionary Foundations: Exploring the Evolutionary Foundations of Cultural Complexity Creativity and Trust

Cite this

The origins of language in teaching

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

Exploring the Evolutionary Foundations: Exploring the Evolutionary Foundations of Cultural Complexity Creativity and Trust

Cite this