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Talking Ape: How Language Evolved

Burling, Robbins

The lack of direct evidence for the appearance and early development of language has led to much speculation and, as Robbins Burling states, although most of this has been highly sensible, a small amount has been rather fanciful. The Talking Ape is one of the most approachable books on the development of human language available. In it Robbins Burling explores the origins of human language and explains his theory on how we get from our primate cousins that cannot speak to modern humans who cannot keep quiet. The book examines the behaviour of primates, forms of animal communication and how these differ from human ones, human physical evolution, the development of technology and modern language, arguing that it is comprehension that is the key to human ability to use language since comprehension is the first part of a long process of understanding that leads to language. 'Broad-ranging, deeply informed, intellectually sophisticated, and thoroughly enjoyable.' Iain Davidson. 286p (Oxford University Press 2005)

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