The evolution of language

Aims

Aims

The evolutionary origins and processes that have led to the Homo Sapiens' linguistic capacity are currently being intensively investigated from a variety of perspectives, and with contributions from numerous disciplines including: linguistics, neuroscience, evolutionary and developmental biology, computational modelling, archaeology,  paleo-anthropology, psychology, the study of animal communication systems etc.

The aims of this course are:

• To pull together the main contributions to the field as they stand today
• To formulate and address the main issues concerning the origins of the language faculty, its evolution, its biological foundations, and the degree of its specificity to Homo Sapiens

By the end of the course students will:

• Understand the main proposals about language evolution
• Understand the main methods used in the study of language evolution
• Understand the ways animal communication systems relate to the human language faculty
• Understand the relation between biological evolution and linguistic evolution and cultural evolution

This module will be capped at 35.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites

Students must have successfully completed:

• L09C Introduction to phonetics & phonology
• L11C Introduction to syntax
• L12C Introduction to semantics

Information for visiting students: Please contact the convenor to check whether your studies at your home university provide you with the relevant academic background for this module.

Programme

Programme

Contact hours

Three hours per week.

Teaching programme

Two hours per week will be devoted to lectures addressing the aims of the module, and a one hour seminar which will be devoted to discussions of the readings and some practical work.

Teaching materials

A selection of articles and book chapters will be made available.

Assessment and feedback

Assessment and feedback

Summative assessment

• A report on readings
  • Weight: 35%
• An open exam
  • Weight: 65%

Skills

Transferable skills developed in this module

All modules provide an opportunity to work on general oral/written communication skills (in class and in assessments) and general self management (organising your studies), alongside the specific skills in language or linguistics that the module teaches.

In addition, this module will allow you to particularly develop skills in self management, problem solving, creativity and innovation. In this module you will be able to develop these skills through exercises and an open exam. You will be faced with unfamiliar problems which require creative solutions due to the lack of immediate evidence.

Follow this link to hear how past students use transferable skills from their degree in their current jobs.