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Early hominins, utterance-activity, and niche construction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 February 2005

Stephen J. Cowley*
Affiliation:
Department of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Bradford, BradfordBD7 1DP, United Kingdom; Psychology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract:

Falk's argument takes for granted that “protolanguage” used a genetic propensity for producing word-forms. Using developmental evidence, I dispute this assumption and, instead, reframe the argument in terms of behavioral ecology. Viewed as niche-construction, putting the baby down can help clarify not only the origins of talk but also the capacity to modify what we are saying as we speak.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2004

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