The language of hunter-gatherers / edited by Tom Gueldemann, Max-Planck-Institut fur Evolutionare Anthropologie, Germany ; Patrick McConvell, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Canberra ; Richard A. Rhodes
"Hunter-gatherers are often portrayed as 'others' standing outside the main trajectory of human social evolution. But even after eleven millennia of agriculture and two centuries of widespread industrialization, hunter-gatherer societies continue to exist. This volume, using the lens of language, offers us a window into the inner workings of 21st century hunter- gatherer societies - how they survive and how they interface with societies that produce more. It challenges long-held assumptions about the limits on social dynamism in hunter-gatherer societies to show that their languages are no different either typologically or sociolinguistically from other languages. With its worldwide coverage, this volume serves as a report on the state of hunter-gatherer societies at the beginning of the 21st century, and readers in all geographical areas will find arguments of relevance here"-- Provided by publisher
