The evolutionary origins of human communication and language

old_uid16024
titleThe evolutionary origins of human communication and language
start_date2015/09/18
schedule11h-12h
onlineno
summaryLinguistic communication is arguably humanity’s most distinctive characteristic. Why are we the only species that communicates in this way ? In this talk, based upon my recent book, I will argue that the differences between human communication and the communication systems is not strictly about language, but rather about communication. Only humans communicate in a way that involves cognitively rich mechanisms of metapsychology, and the difference between this and the communication of other species is a difference of degree, not of kind. To make these arguments, I will systematically survey a range of experimental findings on the communication and cognition of children and non-human primates.
responsiblesPélissier