Arbitrary signs and the emergence of language Denis Bouchard
Basic questions Question 1: How How and why did language evolve and why did language evolve Question 1: in humans humans but not in but not in other species other species? ? in Question 2: How and why did language and why did language Question 2: How evolve with the properties that we observe observe evolve with the properties that we rather than some other set? set? rather than some other 2
Two unique linguistic properties (i) Signs (i) Signs (ii ii) ) Recursive syntax Recursive syntax ( 3
The linguistic sign (Saussure Saussure) ) The linguistic sign ( Seven parts of a parts of a sign sign: : Seven Cognitive : : chunk chunk of cognition of cognition chunk chunk of cognition of cognition Cognitive Link 3 3 : : || || Link || || Meaning : : [ [ Property LITTLE] LITTLE] [TYPE: STAR] Meaning Property [TYPE: STAR] Link 1 1 : : || || Link || || Form : : Form l I Dl star l I Dl star Link 2 2 : : || || Link || || Physical : Physical : particular sound waves particular sound waves particular sound waves particular sound waves 4
Reformulated questions a) How How did elements did elements from domains of such from domains of such a) different natures— — concepts and perceptual concepts and perceptual different natures forms— —get to meet in the brains of humans get to meet in the brains of humans? ? forms b) Why can Why can’ ’t these elements meet in the t these elements meet in the b) brains of other animals? brains of other animals? c) What are the biological foundations of What are the biological foundations of c) these signs? these signs? 5
Key proposal Language is NOT defined through its purpose Language is NOT defined through its purpose (communication, thinking) (communication, thinking) Language is NOT defined through its recursivity recursivity Language is NOT defined through its and “ “efficiency efficiency” ” and These functionalities both follow from design These functionalities both follow from design properties of the sign properties of the sign 6
The design properties of the sign are ultimately due to three factors a) neuronal systems unique to humans which neuronal systems unique to humans which a) can link percepts and concepts to form signs can link percepts and concepts to form signs b) pre-existing pre-existing properties of the human physical properties of the human physical b) make-up involved in signifiers make-up involved in signifiers c) pre-existing pre-existing properties of the human properties of the human c) cognitive make-up involved in meanings cognitive make-up involved in meanings 7
A design feature of the human physical make-up: segmentation a) natural oscillations natural oscillations (Poeppel) ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ a) b) articulatory articulatory factors for categorical perception factors for categorical perception b) (Stephens 1972, Ménard) c) vocal imitation as a vocal imitation as a preadaptation preadaptation for sexual for sexual c) selection (Darwin) selection 8
A design feature of the human cognitive make-up: segmentation The world, events are digitized The world, events are digitized (Hurford) a) magical number 4 magical number 4 a) b) discrete chunks, action packages (1-4 sec.) discrete chunks, action packages (1-4 sec.) b) 9
The human adaptive suite Premack 2004; Fedor et al. 2009 Human-specific cognitive traits traits Human-specific 1) language: signs and syntactic combinations 1) language: signs and syntactic combinations 2) Imitation (Meltzoff & Moore 1997, Rizzolatti & Craighero 2004, Karmiloff_Smith 2006) 2) Imitation 3) developed Theory of Mind (Flavell 1992, Povinelli 2000) 3) developed Theory of Mind 4) understanding of cause and effect (Penna & Povinelli 2007) 4) understanding of cause and effect 5) efficient teaching 5) efficient teaching 6) social trust and collaboration 6) social trust and collaboration 7) pointing, shared attention, deictic reference 7) pointing, shared attention, deictic reference 8) detachment from immediate situation, episodic memory 8) detachment from immediate situation, episodic memory (of noncurrent scenes and events) (Gärdenfors & Osvath 2005) 10
The human adaptive suite Human-specific neurological traits traits Human-specific 9) large brain 9) large brain 10) ApoE4 (apolipoprotein apolipoprotein E4) E4) (provides better synaptic interactions) 10) ApoE4 ( (Bufill & Carbonell 2004) 11) plasticity of the brain for several functions (Fedor et al. 2009, Hagoort 2009) 11) plasticity of the brain for several functions 12) offline brain systems (OBS) 12) offline brain systems (OBS) (“offline” activations, inhibiting input or output) (Hurley 2008) 11
The human adaptive suite Human-specific physiological traits traits Human-specific 13) bipedalism bipedalism 13) 14) fine control over vocal tract 14) fine control over vocal tract 15) fine control over hand and finger movements 15) fine control over hand and finger movements 12
The human adaptive suite Human-specific behavioral traits traits Human-specific 16) long dependency during infancy 16) long dependency during infancy 17) art, culture 17) art, culture 18) tool use 18) tool use 13
Answers to the questions c) What are the biological foundations of signs? What are the biological foundations of signs? c) 1- A large brain large brain with a huge cortex offers a highly with a huge cortex offers a highly 1- A increased potential for synaptic interactions increased potential for synaptic interactions 2- ApoE4 ApoE4 greatly improves synaptic repair, hence greatly improves synaptic repair, hence 2- dramatically increases synaptic interactions dramatically increases synaptic interactions (Bufill & Carbonell 2004) 3- The long dependency long dependency during infancy feeds more during infancy feeds more 3- The cultural material to these additional brain capacities cultural material to these additional brain capacities 14
Answers to the questions c) What are the biological foundations of signs? What are the biological foundations of signs? c) Large brain brain + ApoE4 ApoE4 + long dependency long dependency Large + + = Offline Brain Systems (OBS) Offline Brain Systems (OBS) = A small step with gigantic consequences: A small step with gigantic consequences: OBSs give rise to the give rise to the “ “Human-specific Adaptive Suite Human-specific Adaptive Suite” ” OBSs 15
Answers to the questions a) How How did elements did elements from domains of such from domains of such a) different natures— — meanings and perceptual meanings and perceptual different natures forms— —get to meet in the brains of humans get to meet in the brains of humans? ? forms A vocal element can enter into the brain in a way A vocal element can enter into the brain in a way exclusive to humans: as an offline activation by an OBS exclusive to humans: as an offline activation by an OBS A “ “mentalized mentalized” ” vocal element can be linked to a vocal element can be linked to a A meaning because they have a similar mental nature meaning because they have a similar mental nature Vocalizations processed independently from any Vocalizations processed independently from any external stimulus can become symbolic symbolic (linked to any (linked to any external stimulus can become concept) concept) 16
Three basic levels of mapping in human brains: Three basic levels of mapping in human brains: primary representational system : : primary representational system from reality to sensory perception; simple representations with almost from reality to sensory perception; simple representations with almost nothing between stimulus and response nothing between stimulus and response mapping from sensory perception to categorization: mapping from sensory perception to categorization: neural linking of similar results from various sensory input; neural linking of similar results from various sensory input; ex.: a leopard’ ex.: a leopard ’s spots, roar and smell s spots, roar and smell mapping from categories to concepts: mapping from categories to concepts: abstracted from any sensory input, any immediacy; abstracted from any sensory input, any immediacy; a category used offline in OBSs OBSs a category used offline in 17
Answers to the questions b) Why can Why can’ ’t these elements meet in the brains t these elements meet in the brains b) of other animals? of other animals? Because only humans only humans have have Because Offline Brain Systems that can appropriately that can appropriately Offline Brain Systems mentalize perceptual elements, perceptual elements, mentalize detached from any external stimulus detached from any external stimulus 18
How did the specific properties of signs emerge? Perceptual forms: : phonemes and phonological phonemes and phonological Perceptual forms combinations combinations Meanings/concepts Meanings/concepts Linkings between forms and meanings Linkings between forms and meanings 19
How did the specific properties of signs emerge? Order out of chaos: out of chaos: Order (Prigogine) self-organization due to due to self-organization frequency and frequency and accumulation accumulation 20
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