How Language Began
By Daniel L. Everett
Categories: Stories and Storytelling, The Evolution of LanguageAt the time of its publication, How Language Began received high acclaim for capturing the fascinating history of mankind’s most incredible creation. Deemed a “bombshell” linguist and “instant folk hero” by Tom Wolfe (Harper’s), Daniel L. Everett posits that the near- 7,000 languages that exist today are not only the product of one million years of evolution but also have allowed us to become Earth’s apex predator. Tracing 60,000 generations, Everett debunks long- held theories across a spectrum of disciplines to affirm the idea that we are not born with an instinct for language. Woven with anecdotes of his nearly forty years of fieldwork amongst Amazonian hunter-gatherers, this is a “completely enthralling” (Spectator) exploration of our humanity and a landmark study of what makes us human.
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