Derek Bickerton is Professor Emeritus of Linguistics at the University of Hawaii. His most recent book, "Bastard Tongues," was published by Hill and Wang in 2008.
"An intensely felt, sometimes very funny and occasionally deeply
impolite take on what are fast becoming the classic case studies
for language evolution." --Christine Kenneally, "New Scientist"""
"""Derek Bickerton has long been a leading thinker concerning the
evolution of language. In his latest book, "Adam's Tongue,"
Bickerton relishes his role as agent provocateur, offering witty
demolitions of rival theories, admitting past errors, and providing
an invigorating defense of the construction of ecological niches as
the new grand truth for the theory of language evolution."
--Michael A. Arbib, Director, USC Brain Project, University of
Southern California "Bickerton skewers linguists, paleontologists,
and animal behaviorists alike, reviews some of the currently
popular neurobiological theories on language evolution, provides
some mea culpa moments, and openly throws in a few just-so
stories--and from this somewhat improbable mix comes a
well-thought-out book, one that takes the reader logically through
his arguments with wit and verve. Whether the reader eventually
agrees with Bickerton's thesis in its entirety or not, he or she
will find the hours devoted to this book time well spent." --Irene
Pepp erberg, Professor of Psychology, Brandeis University, and
author of "Alex and Me" "The great puzzle of how human language
evolved, and how it relates to animal communication, is tackled
here with enthusiasm and directness by the always interesting Derek
Bickerton. Being neither a complete gradualist nor a believer in
Divine sparks, the author touches on all the issues and positions
that are hotly debated today." --Frans de Waal, Professor of
Psychology, Emory University, and author of "Our Inner Ape: A
Leading Primatologist Explains Why We Are Who We Are" "Why is it
that humans--and only humans--acquired language? Nobody knows for
sure, but nobody has thought longer or harder about such questions
than Derek Bickerton. A tour de force!" --Gary Marcus, Professor of
Psychology, New York University, and author of "Kluge: The
Haphazard Construction of the Human""Mind" "An accessible and
engaging book on a very complex topic: the evolution of language."
--Rebecca Bollen Manalac, "Library Journal" "Reading "Adam's
Tongue" is like stepping back into the classroom of a quirky,
vibrant, impassioned thinker engaged in a most perplexing problem:
How did language arise, and which came first: language or complex
thought?" --Christine Thomas, " The Honolulu Advertiser"
“An intensely felt, sometimes very funny and occasionally deeply
impolite take on what are fast becoming the classic case studies
for language evolution.” —Christine Kenneally, "New
Scientist""" ""“Derek Bickerton has long been a leading
thinker concerning the evolution of language. In his latest book,
"Adam’s Tongue," Bickerton relishes his role as agent provocateur,
offering witty demolitions of rival theories, admitting past
errors, and providing an invigorating defense of the construction
of ecological niches as the new grand truth for the theory of
language evolution.” —Michael A. Arbib, Director, USC Brain
Project, University of Southern California “Bickerton skewers
linguists, paleontologists, and animal behaviorists alike, reviews
some of the currently popular neurobiological theories on language
evolution, provides some mea culpa moments, and openly throws in a
few just-so stories—and from this somewhat improbable
"Derek Bickerton has long been a leading thinker concerning the
evolution of language. In his latest book, "Adam's Tongue,"
Bickerton relishes his role as agent provocateur, offering witty
demolitions of rival theories, admitting past errors, and providing
an invigorating defense of the construction of ecological niches as
the new grand truth for the theory of language evolution."
--Michael A. Arbib, Director, USC Brain Project, University of
Southern California "Bickerton skewers linguists, paleontologists,
and animal behaviorists alike, reviews some of the currently
popular neurobiological theories on language evolution, provides
some mea culpa moments, and openly throws in a few just-so
stories--and from this somewhat improbable mix comes a
well-thought-out book, one that takes the reader logically through
his arguments with wit and verve. Whether the reader eventually
agrees with Bickerton's thesis in its entirety or not, he or she
will find the hours devoted to this book time well spent." --Irene
Pepp erberg, Professor of Psychology, Brandeis University, and
author of "Alex and Me" "The great puzzle of how human language
evolved, and how it relates to animal communication, is tackled
here with enthusiasm and directness by the always interesting Derek
Bickerton. Being neither a complete gradualist nor a believer in
Divine sparks, the author touches on all the issues and positions
that are hotly debated today." --Frans de Waal, Professor of
Psychology, Emory University, and author of "Our Inner Ape: A
Leading Primatologist Explains Why We Are Who We Are" "Why is it
that humans--and only humans--acquired language? Nobody knows for
sure, but nobody has thought longer or harder aboutsuch questions
than Derek Bickerton. A tour de force!" --Gary Marcus, Professor of
Psychology, New York University, and author of "Kluge: The
Haphazard Construction of the Human" "Mind" "An accessible and
engaging book on a very complex topic: the evolution of language."
--Rebecca Bollen Manalac, "Library Journal"
"Why is it that humans--and only humans--acquired language? Nobody
knows for sure, but nobody has thought longer or harder about such
questions than Derek Bickerton. A tour de force!" --Gary Marcus,
Professor of Psychology, New York University, and author of "Kluge:
The Haphazard Evolution of the Human Mind" "The great puzzle of how
human language evolved, and how it relates to animal communication,
is tackled here with great enthusiasm and directness by the always
interesting Derek Bickerton. Being neither a complete gradualist
nor a believer in Divine sparks, the author touches on all of the
issues and positions that are hotly debated today." --Frans de
Waal, professor of psychology, Emory University, and author of "Our
Inner Ape" "Bickerton skewers linguists, paleontologists, and
animal behaviorists alike, glosses over some of the currently
popular neurobiological theories on language evolution, provides
some mea culpa moments and openly throws in a few just-so
stories---and from this somewhat improbable mix comes a
well-thought out book, one that takes the reader logically through
his arguments, with wit and verve. Bickerton forces the reader to
examine the veracity of seemingly self-evident truths about our
earliest ancestors and how they became our ancestors. Whether the
reader eventually agrees with Bickerton's thesis in its entirety or
not, he or she will find the hours perusing this book to be time
well-spent." --Irene Pepperberg, professor of psychology, Brandeis
University "With his pioneering work on pidgins and creoles and his
development of the idea of protolanguage, Derek Bickerton has long
been a leading thinker concerning the evolution of language. In his
latest book,"Adam's Tongue," Bickerton relishes his role as agent
provocateur, offering witty demolitions of rival theories,
admitting past errors, and providing an invigorating defense of
construction of ecological niches as the new grand truth for the
theory of language evolution." --Michael A. Arbib, Director, USC
Brain Project, University of Southern California
"The great puzzle of how human language evolved, and how it relates
to animal communication, is tackled here with great enthusiasm and
directness by the always interesting Derek Bickerton. Being neither
a complete gradualist nor a believer in Divine sparks, the author
touches on all of the issues and positions that are hotly debated
today." --Frans de Waal, professor of psychology, Emory University,
and author of "Our Inner Ape" "Bickerton skewers linguists,
paleontologists, and animal behaviorists alike, glosses over some
of the currently popular neurobiological theories on language
evolution, provides some mea culpa moments and openly throws in a
few just-so stories---and from this somewhat improbable mix comes a
well-thought out book, one that takes the reader logically through
his arguments, with wit and verve. Bickerton forces the reader to
examine the veracity of seemingly self-evident truths about our
earliest ancestors and how they became our ancestors. Whether the
reader eventually agrees with Bickerton's thesis in its entirety or
not, he or she will find the hours perusing this book to be time
well-spent." --Irene Pepperberg, professor of psychology, Brandeis
University "With his pioneering work on pidgins and creoles and his
development of the idea of protolanguage, Derek Bickerton has long
been a leading thinker concerning the evolution of language. In his
latest book, "Adam's Tongue," Bickerton relishes his role as agent
provocateur, offering witty demolitions of rival theories,
admitting past errors, and providing an invigorating defense of
construction of ecological niches as the new grand truth for the
theory of language evolution." --Michael A. Arbib, Director,
USCBrain Project, University of Southern California
"Bickerton skewers linguists, paleontologists, and animal
behaviorists alike, glosses over some of the currently popular
neurobiological theories on language evolution, provides some mea
culpa moments and openly throws in a few just-so stories---and from
this somewhat improbable mix comes a well-thought out book, one
that takes the reader logically through his arguments, with wit and
verve. Bickerton forces the reader to examine the veracity of
seemingly self-evident truths about our earliest ancestors and how
they became our ancestors. Whether the reader eventually agrees
with Bickerton's thesis in its entirety or not, he or she will find
the hours perusing this book to be time well-spent." --Irene
Pepperberg, professor of psychology, Brandeis University "With his
pioneering work on pidgins and creoles and his development of the
idea of protolanguage, Derek Bickerton has long been a leading
thinker concerning the evolution of language. In his latest book,
"Adam's Tongue," Bickerton relishes his role as agent provocateur,
offering witty demolitions of rival theories, admitting past
errors, and providing an invigorating defense of construction of
ecological niches as the new grand truth for the theory of language
evolution." --Michael A. Arbib, Director, USC Brain Project,
University of Southern California
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