The origin of language How we learned to speak and why

Human language capacities developed primarily to aid in rearing children, according to this lucid debut from biologist Beekman. Babies are born "underbaked," Beekman writes, explaining that because human brains are so large, children must be born before theirs are fully grown in order to fit through the birth canal. This creates the need for extensive postnatal care, and language evolved because talking enabled the type of cooperation necessary for "helpless infants" to survive. Writing with wit and making creative use of analogies, Beekman also sheds light on the broader topic of human evolution. She answers the question "Why did our brains get bigger?" by describing how the addition of meat to Homo erectus diets introduced enough nutrients to support such an organ, and she notes the many utilities of social bonds formed by human ancestors. Elsewhere, she uses Tinder as a case study to explain how a genetic mutation in early primates spread and led to "the origin of our species." Throughout, Beekman showcases her knack for making complex ideas accessible: "It is probably fair to say that human sociality had its origin in Australopithecus's pathetic-ness." The result is an edifying and original foray into a critical aspect of human evolution. (Aug.)

Looking at language in a new light. Challenging conventional theories on the origin of language, Australian scholar Beekman begins by exploring the evolution of humans, discussing the work and theories of Charles Darwin, Stephen J. Gould, and other evolutionary biologists. Of particular interest to the author is bipedalism. "It all started with walking upright," she says. However, she contends, no longer living in trees created a "childcare problem." The author considers other evolutionary changes, including shifts in the birth canal, increased brain size, and shorter gestation periods. The author then turns to the origin of language, calling the views of psychologist and behaviorist Burrhus Frederic Skinner and linguist Noam Chomsky "half right." The author writes, "Our ability to speak was the result of a short series of genetic and anatomic flukes that set the stage for runaway selection." Further, she argues, "Perhaps linguists are looking at language the wrong way." Rather than searching for a language-acquisition device, the author proposes that language should be viewed as "more akin to a virus. A language that spreads easily from brain to brain is more likely to stick around. Because language depends on language learners--children--language must be tuned to the brain of children….If all of humanity went extinct, so would all the languages of the world. The opposite is not the case, although humanity is likely to change in the absence of language." Interestingly, Beekman fears that modern society could hinder our acquisition of language. "The nuclear family goesagainst our nature," she writes. "We are the most social species of all mammals….We can't stand being alone." If we live in isolation, she writes, "there is a danger we are losing something precious. Something uniquely human. The perfect conditions to learn language." An entertaining and enlightening examination of the roots of speech. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.