4.5 Article

The origins of language in teaching

Journal

PSYCHONOMIC BULLETIN & REVIEW
Volume 24, Issue 1, Pages 225-231

Publisher

SPRINGER
DOI: 10.3758/s13423-016-1077-7

Keywords

Language; Teaching; Evolution

Funding

  1. John Templeton Foundation

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I introduce seven criteria for determining the validity of competing theories for the original function of language. I go on to present a novel explanation that meets all the criteria: language originally evolved to teach kin. I suggest that the use of symbols subsequently generated evolutionary feedback at two levels, in the form of self-modified selection pressures that favored structures in the mind that functioned to manipulate and use symbols with efficiency, and cultural selection on languages for learnability.

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