pt. 1. Setting the stage. Underneath the lampposts ; Perspectives on human languages ; Vocalization and gesture in monkey and ape ; Human brain, monkey brain and praxis ; Mirror neurons & mirror systems -- pt. 2. Developing the hypothesis. Signposts : the argument of the book revealed ; Simple & complex imitation ; Via pantomime to protosign ; Protosign and protospeech. An expanding spiral ; How languages got started ; How the child acquires language ; How languages emerge ; How languages keep changing
Summary
Unlike any other species, humans can learn and use language. This book explains how the brain evolved to make language possible, through what the text calls the Mirror System Hypothesis. The theory explains why we humans are as capable of learning sign languages as we are of learning to speak. This book shows how cultural evolution took over from biological evolution for the transition from protolanguage to fully fledged languages
