How Language Began : The Story of Humanity's Greatest Invention

基本信息

Format:Paperback / softback 352 pages

Publisher:Profile Books Ltd

Imprint:Profile Books Ltd

Edition:Main

ISBN:9781781253939

Published:6 Sep 2018

Weight:290g

Dimensions:130 x 198 x 23 (mm)

页面参数仅供参考，具体以实物为准

书籍简介

丹尼尔·埃弗雷特在其开创性的新书中寻找困扰着从柏拉图到乔姆斯基的思想家的问题的答案:语言是何时以及如何开始的?它是什么?这是做什么用的?传统观点认为，语言起源于15万年前的智人，我们有一种“语言本能”，丹尼尔·埃弗雷特对此表示困惑。利用证据从一个广泛的领域,包括语言学、考古学、生物学、人类学和神经科学,他表明,我们古老的祖先直立人,生理和心理的设备演讲一个半百万年前,和他们的文化和技术成果(包括建立远洋船只)使它极有可能他们说某种语言。语言的起源为语言和文化以及作为人类意味着什么提供了新的线索。一如既往，丹尼尔·埃弗雷特用一些事件和轶事为他的叙述增色。他的书令人信服，引人注目，有趣。

In his groundbreaking new book Daniel Everett seeks answers to questions that have perplexed thinkers from Plato to Chomsky: when and how did language begin? What is it? And what is it for?Daniel Everett confounds the conventional wisdom that language originated with Homo sapiens 150,000 years ago and that we have a 'language instinct'. Drawing on evidence from a wide range of fields, including linguistics, archaeology, biology, anthropology and neuroscience, he shows that our ancient ancestors, Homo erectus, had the biological and mental equipment for speech one and half million years ago, and that their cultural and technological achievements (including building ocean-going boats) make it overwhelmingly likely they spoke some kind of language. How Language Began sheds new light on language and culture and what it means to be human and, as always, Daniel Everett spices his account with incident and anecdote.His book is convincing, arresting and entertaining.

作者简介

丹尼尔·埃弗雷特在巴西的亚马逊丛林工作了30多年，在十几个不同的部落中工作。他在语言和文化方面发表了大量著作，是世界上在这两个领域有影响力的思想家之一。他的作品《别睡，有蛇》被布莱克威尔书店选为2009年度最佳作品之一，《星期日泰晤士报》“编辑精选”，并被改编成一部电影和一部戏剧。他目前是马萨诸塞州沃尔瑟姆市本特利大学文理系主任。

Daniel Everett worked in the Amazon jungles of Brazil for over 30 years, among more than a dozen different tribal groups. He has published extensively on language and culture and is one of the world's most influential thinkers in both fields. His Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes was selected by Blackwell's bookstores as one of the best of 2009, was an 'editor's choice' of the Sunday Times and has been the subject of a film and a play. He is currently Dean of Arts and Sciences at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts.