One of the biggest issues that has plagued linguists for years is, why are humans the only species to have developed language? This short eBook takes a look at the work of Noam Chomsky, Steven Pinker, Derek Bickerton and Terrence Deacon, and proposes that the answer lies in a new theory called The Interactional Instinct. Proposed by John Schumann, this theory states that interaction with others, and not an innate Universal Grammar, is responsible for the rapid development of language. Using ideas from neuroscience, TESOL, evolutionary science and historical linguistics, this eBook suggests that the interactional instinct framework is ideal for examining the evolution of language.
Note: This eBook was not written by nor carries the endorsement of John Schumann or any of the writers of the book The Interactional Instinct.
