Mother tongue : how humans create language
Nothing seems so miraculous as the human infant's acquisition of language. Davis, author of Defending the Body ( LJ 5/1/89), examines the various aspects of language in this engrossing and informative book. Specifically, he charts the rise of our langauge from its Proto-Indo-European origins and then summarizes the mechanics of speech and the elements of language. He also presents a fascinating journey into the human brain that offers clues about the biological roots of language. Davis outlines key theories and research that demonstrate how language is created, stored, and retrieved in the brain. His comprehensive account is well organized and skillfully written, providing an excellent overview for the general reader.Preface: The Mystery of Our Mother Tongue -- Pt. I. Language, Yesterday and Today. 1. Defining Language. 2. Our Linguistic Family Tree. 3. The Sounds of Language. 4. The Science of Language -- Pt. II. Language and the Brain. 5. A Map of the Territory. 6. Out of Darkness, Light. 7. "Boswell," Aphasias and Mind Blindness. 8. Convergence Zones and HyperCard Stacks. 9. Language, the Brain, and Consciousness -- Pt. III. The Birth of Language. 10. From Cries to Words. 11. Breakthroughs. 12. From Chimpsky to Chomsky. 13. Beyond the Mother Tongue
1948by Joel Davisill. ; 24 cm"A Birch Lane Press book
