Language Evolution and Syntactic Theory

Half-title......Page 3
Title......Page 5
Copyright......Page 6
Dedication......Page 7
Contents......Page 9
List of figures......Page 11
List of tables......Page 12
Preface......Page 13
List of abbreviations......Page 15
1.1 Language and evolution......Page 17
1.2 Studies in syntactic theory......Page 19
1.2.1 Nativism versus empiricism......Page 20
1.2.2 What is a generative grammar?......Page 21
1.2.3 What syntactic theory tells us about the language faculty......Page 22
1.3 Studies in evolution......Page 23
1.3.1 Misconceptions about evolution......Page 25
1.4.1 A taxonomy of theories......Page 26
1.4.1.1 Adaptationist theories......Page 27
1.4.1.2 Exaptationist theories......Page 28
1.4.1.4 Saltational theories......Page 29
1.4.1.6 Other questions asked......Page 30
1.4.2 What language evolution tells us about the language faculty......Page 31
1.5 Constraining the theory of language......Page 32
1.6.1 Pre-generativism......Page 33
1.6.2 Early generativism – LSLT and Syntactic Structures......Page 34
1.6.3 From Standard Theory to Government and Binding......Page 35
1.7.1 Program versus theory......Page 37
1.7.2.1 Economy considerations......Page 38
1.7.2.3 Generative questions......Page 39
1.7.2.4 Elimination of DS and SS and other simplifications......Page 41
1.7.3.1 The lexical array and feature inventories......Page 43
1.7.3.2 Merge......Page 44
1.7.3.3 Feature checking and agree......Page 47
1.7.3.4 Move......Page 48
1.7.3.5 Phases and cyclicity......Page 50
1.8 Syntactic theory in the light of evolution: the book......Page 52
1.8.3 The composition of the narrow language faculty......Page 53
1.8.5 Evolutionarily plausible syntactic theorising......Page 54
2.2 The perfection of language......Page 55
2.2.1 Perfection in other linguistic frameworks......Page 57
2.2.2 Outside systems and interface conditions......Page 58
2.2.3 Imperfections in the system......Page 59
2.2.4 Atomicity as perfection – superiority effects......Page 62
2.3.1 Natural selection as optimiser......Page 65
2.3.2 Economy of statement versus economy of process......Page 67
2.4.1 Perfection versus optimality......Page 69
2.4.1.1 Satisficing and meliorizing......Page 70
2.4.3 Perfection versus optimality versus economy versus adaptation......Page 73
2.4.3.3 Economy through adaptation......Page 74
2.5.1 Imperfection......Page 76
2.5.2 Perfection......Page 80
2.5.3 Constraints on perfection......Page 82
2.6 Conclusions......Page 84
3.2 The simplicity of the minimalist language faculty......Page 86
3.3.1 Pinker and Bloom......Page 88
3.3.2 Pinker and Jackendoff......Page 90
3.3.3 Pre-minimalist Chomsky......Page 91
3.3.4 Adaptive complexity......Page 92
3.4 Measuring complexity......Page 93
3.4.1 Computational versus informational complexity......Page 95
3.5 The direction of evolution......Page 97
3.5.1 The direction of linguistic evolution......Page 102
3.6.1 Economy as a constraint on theories of language......Page 103
3.6.2 The Galilean style......Page 104
3.6.3 Physics versus biology......Page 106
3.7 Minimalism and saltationism......Page 107
3.7.1 Types of saltationism......Page 108
3.7.2 An ‘apoptotic’ explanation......Page 110
3.8 Evolvability......Page 112
3.8.1 Degeneracy......Page 113
3.8.2 Modularity......Page 117
3.8.3 Robustness......Page 123
3.9 Conclusions......Page 126
4.1 Introduction......Page 128
4.2.1 Definitions and examples......Page 129
4.2.2 Recursion versus iteration......Page 131
4.2.3.1 Tail versus nested recursion......Page 132
4.2.3.2 Tail recursion versus iteration......Page 134
4.2.4.1 The history of phrase structure in linguistics......Page 135
4.2.4.2 Phrase structure versus recursion......Page 137
4.2.4.3 Semantics and evolutionary considerations......Page 138
4.2.4.4 Semantics in other species......Page 141
4.2.4.5 Recursion versus iteration revisited......Page 143
4.3.1 Minimalist implications......Page 145
4.3.2.1 The lexicon......Page 146
4.3.2.2 Duality of patterning......Page 148
4.3.2.3 Syntactic devices......Page 149
4.4.1.1 Number......Page 150
4.4.1.2 Navigation......Page 151
4.4.1.3 Games and music......Page 153
4.4.1.4 Vision......Page 154
4.4.1.5 Social cognition and theory of mind......Page 155
4.4.2.2 Navigation – the travelling salesman problem......Page 156
4.4.2.3 Complex action sequences......Page 157
4.4.2.4 Social cognition and theory of mind......Page 159
4.4.3.1 Semantics revisited......Page 161
4.4.3.2 Requirements for a recursive communication system......Page 162
4.4.3.3 Answering the uniqueness question......Page 163
4.5 Language without recursion......Page 166
4.5.1 Language without recursion: the case of Pirahã......Page 168
4.5.1.2 Limited possessors......Page 169
4.5.2 Recursion in protolanguage......Page 171
4.5.3 Conceptual structure revisited, and an evolutionary scenario......Page 173
4.6 Conclusions......Page 174
5.1 Introduction......Page 176
5.2 Degeneracy and imperfection in the system......Page 177
5.3 'Extra' operations and competing motivations......Page 179
5.4 What is meant by 'perfection' anyhow?......Page 182
5.5 An imperfection in the mapping process......Page 186
5.6 Stipulations without independent motivation......Page 187
5.7 Shifting the burden of explanation......Page 191
5.8 Phenomena left unexplained......Page 194
5.9 Conclusions......Page 199
6.1.1 What will an evolvable system of language look like?......Page 201
6.2 Reconciling minimalism and evolution......Page 202
6.2.1 A grand unified theory of language......Page 203
6.3.1.1 The constraint of evolvability......Page 204
6.3.2.1 The basics of construction grammar......Page 205
6.3.2.2 The constraint of evolvability......Page 206
6.3.3.1 The basics of simpler syntax......Page 207
6.3.3.2 The constraint of evolvability......Page 209
6.4 Final remarks......Page 210
Bibliography......Page 211
Index......Page 227