Language Game
How improvisation created language and changed the world
By Morten H. Christiansen | Publisher: Transworld
About the book
'Marvellously clear... playfully persuasive' Richard Dawkins
'Full of Fascinating details. A delight to read.' Tim Harford
'Highly original and convincing ... a delight to read!' - Daniel Everett
What is language?
Why do we have it?
Why does that matter?
Language is perhaps humanity's most astonishing accomplishment and one that remains poorly understood.
Upending centuries of scholarship (including, most recently, Chomsky and Pinker) The Language Game shows how people learn to talk not by acquiring fixed meanings and rules, but by picking up, reusing, and recombining countless linguistic fragments in novel ways.
Drawing on entertaining and persuasive examples from across the world the book explains:
· How our short-lived memory copes with the on-rushing deluge of sound that is everyday speech.
· Why it is that language is such a challenge for language scientists but learnt effortlessly by toddlers.
· Why the languages of the world are so spectacularly varied---and why no two people speak quite the same language.
· Why humans have language, but chimps don't.
· How language gave us a big brain and changed the course of evolution.
· How language doesn't limit, but does shape, how we think.
·And ultimately, why all we know about language should give us hope.
Christiansen and Chater's The Language Game draws on a fascinating range of examples to show the way language works, has shaped our evolution and is critical to our future.
Editions of Language Game
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781787633483
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781787633490
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781804991008
- EBook
- ISBN 9781473578418
- AudioStreaming
- ISBN 9781529193961
Read an Excerpt
'Marvellously clear... playfully persuasive' Richard Dawkins
'Full of Fascinating details. A delight to read.' Tim Harford
'Highly original and convincing ... a delight to read!' - Daniel Everett
What is language?
Why do we have it?
Why does that matter?
Language is perhaps humanity's most astonishing accomplishment and one that remains poorly understood.
Upending centuries of scholarship (including, most recently, Chomsky and Pinker) The Language Game shows how people learn to talk not by acquiring fixed meanings and rules, but by picking up, reusing, and recombining countless linguistic fragments in novel ways.
Drawing on entertaining and persuasive examples from across the world the book explains:
· How our short-lived memory copes with the on-rushing deluge of sound that is everyday speech.
· Why it is that language is such a challenge for language scientists but learnt effortlessly by toddlers.
· Why the languages of the world are so spectacularly varied---and why no two people speak quite the same language.
· Why humans have language, but chimps don't.
· How language gave us a big brain and changed the course of evolution.
· How language doesn't limit, but does shape, how we think.
·And ultimately, why all we know about language should give us hope.
Christiansen and Chater's The Language Game draws on a fascinating range of examples to show the way language works, has shaped our evolution and is critical to our future.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Language Game about?
'Marvellously clear... playfully persuasive' Richard Dawkins
'Full of Fascinating details. A delight to read.' Tim Harford
'Highly original and convincing ... a delight to read!' - Daniel Everett
What is language?
Why do we have it?
Why does that matter?
Language is perhaps humanity's most astonishing accomplishment and one that remains poorly understood.
Upending centuries of scholarship (including, most recently, Chomsky and Pinker) The Language Game shows how people learn to talk not by acquiring fixed meanings and rules, but by picking up, reusing, and recombining countless linguistic fragments in novel ways.
Drawing on entertaining and persuasive examples from across the world the book explains:
· How our short-lived memory copes with the on-rushing deluge of sound that is everyday speech.
· Why it is that language is such a challenge for language scientists but learnt effortlessly by toddlers.
· Why the languages of the world are so spectacularly varied---and why no two people speak quite the same language.
· Why humans have language, but chimps don't.
· How language gave us a big brain and changed the course of evolution.
· How language doesn't limit, but does shape, how we think.
·And ultimately, why all we know about language should give us hope.
Christiansen and Chater's The Language Game draws on a fascinating range of examples to show the way language works, has shaped our evolution and is critical to our future.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Language Game?
Language and Linguistics > Language: reference and general > Language: history and general works
Where can I read a sample of Language Game?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781787633483
How long is Language Game and how many pages does it have?
Language Game has 368 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Language Game?
Morten H. Christiansen
Who is the Publisher of the book Language Game?
Transworld
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Language Game is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781787633483) and paperback(ISBN 9781787633490) and paperback(ISBN 9781804991008) and ebook(ISBN 9781473578418) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9781529193961)
Where can I buy Language Game online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Language Game from below
Where can I buy Language Game?