14 April: DCLRS -- Junichi Toyota -- Friday, April 15
Dublin Computational Linguistics Research Seminar: Index of April 2005 | Dublin Computational Linguistics Research Seminar - Index of year: 2005 | Full index
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Speaker: Dr. Junichi Toyota, University of Freiburg
venue: Davis Lecture Theatre (Arts Building Room 2043)
Trinity College, University of Dublin
time: 4:00-6:00, Friday, April 15, 2005.
title:
Kaleidoscopic grammar: emergence of binary features in
human language
abstract:
The evolution of human language has recently re-emerged as a popular
academic discipline. Among recent works, what are considered most
crucial in the creation of modern complex languages is so-called
double articulation (combination of sounds creating a word) and the
recursive nature of syntactic structure. However, there seems to be
another important factor in the evolution of language, which seems to
have been neglected.
In this paper, I present a particular phase in the evolution of
language, which can be considered one of the most important steps
towards complex structures in modern languages. The main theme of the
talk lies in the binary features, in a sense that one feature
complements the other, such as past vs. non-past tense, realis
vs. irrealis modality, etc. Such binary oppositions did not exist in
the primitive form of language, and I call the linguistic form where
the binary features became prominent kaleidoscopic grammar. The
language was limited in expressiveness before the emergence of
kaleidoscopic grammar, and the binary features helped enrich the range
of our expression, which leads to the current state of language.
My talk is not restricted to the linguistic argument, but also
incorporates various interdisciplinary factors, such as biological
evolution, archaeological findings, etc. I argue that various pieces
of evidence taken from these disciplines indicate that the binary
features are not accidentally chosen, but it is closely related to the
human cognitive ability and it was a natural choice. It has been
suggested that the evolution of language is closely related to the
development of brain size, cognitive ability, etc., and findings in my
talk also enrich such earlier arguments.
Dr. Junichi Toyota
Gastwissenschaftler
Englisches Seminar I
Universität Freiburg
D-79085 Freiburg
tel: +49-(0)1747790455
#e
Dublin Computational Linguistics Research Seminar - Index of April 2005 | Index of year: 2005 | Full index