Aitchison J. The Seeds of Speech. Language Origin and Evolution

Cambridge University Press, 1996. — 206 p.Human language is a weird communication system: it has more in common with birdsong than with the calls of other primates. Jean Aitchison explores the origins of human language and how it has evolved. She likens the search to a vast prehistoric jigsaw puzzle, in which numerous fragments of evidence must be assembled. Such evidence is pieced together from a mixture of linguistic and nonlinguistic sources such as evolution theory, archaeology, psychology, and anthropology. This is an accessible and wide-ranging introduction to the origins and evolution of human language.Puzzles
A natural curiosity: How did language begin?
A peculiar habit: What is language for?
The bother at Babel: Why do languages differ so much?
Distinct duties: Is language an independent skill?
Origin
The family tree: The evolutionary background
A devious mind: The basic requirements
Broken air: Inherited ingredients
Small beginnings: First steps
Evolution
The second word: The emergence of rules
The tower of speech: Expansion
Time travelling: Extra attachments
Rebuilding on the high seas: Keeping going
Diffusion
The widening circle: Moving outwards
The hidden core: The hunt for universals
The real magician: Ruling the rules
Unweaving the rainbow: Separating the strands
The endless stair: Past and future