Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Synteny and Evolution02:31

Synteny and Evolution

3.0K
John H. Renwick first coined the term “synteny” in 1971, which refers to the genes present on the same chromosomes, even if they are not genetically linked. The species with common ancestry tend to show conserved syntenic regions. Therefore, the concept of synteny is nowadays used to describe the evolutionary relationship between species.
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral...
3.0K
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language01:10

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

6.0K
Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
6.0K
Language01:16

Language

786
Language is a unique communication system that uses words and systematic rules to organize and transmit information. Unlike other forms of communication, which may involve postures, movements, odors, or vocalizations, language relies on symbols and grammar. This makes human communication distinct from that of other species, who also communicate but do not use language in the same way humans do.
Corballis and Suddendorf (2007) and Tomasello and Rakoczy (2003) highlight the role of language in...
786
Components of Language01:24

Components of Language

844
Language, whether spoken, signed, or written, consists of specific components: lexicon and grammar. The lexicon is the vocabulary of a language, comprising its words. Grammar is the set of rules used to convey meaning through the lexicon. For example, English grammar adds “-ed” to most verbs to indicate past tense. Words are formed by combining phonemes, which are the basic sound units of a language. Different languages have different sets of phonemes (e.g., “ah” vs.
844
Language Development01:22

Language Development

1.1K
Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
1.1K
Language and Cognition01:27

Language and Cognition

892
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
892

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

From Synaptic Interactions to Collective Dynamics in Random Neuronal Networks Models: Critical Role of Eigenvectors and Transient Behavior.

Neural computation·2019
Same author

Evolutionary games on cycles with strong selection.

Physical review. E·2017
Same author

Spatial evolution of tumors with successive driver mutations.

Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics·2015
Same author

Incidence of Circulating Antibodies Against Hemagglutinin of Influenza Viruses in the Epidemic Season 2013/2014 in Poland.

Advances in experimental medicine and biology·2015
Same author

Dissecting x-ray-emitting gas around the center of our galaxy.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2013
Same author

Spectral relations between products and powers of isotropic random matrices.

Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics·2013
Same journal

Daily briefing: How cooperation built the world.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Deep-sea oddities and boatloads of other new species - June's best science images.

Nature·2026
Same journal

From cloning to gene-editing: the enduring legacy of Dolly the sheep.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Time to give hydration breaks the red card? What science says about keeping cool.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Universities are relying on AI-detection software to catch cheating. How well do the programs work?

Nature·2026
Same journal

Daily briefing: 'Cyborg' cockroaches breathe underwater with printed suit.

Nature·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 5, 2026

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization
05:35

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

Published on: April 19, 2017

6.1K

The evolution of syntactic communication.

M A Nowak1, J B Plotkin, V A Jansen

  • 1Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, USA. nowak@ias.edu

Nature
|April 13, 2000
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Human language evolved syntax, enabling infinite expression from finite means. Natural selection favors syntax only when signal needs exceed a threshold, explaining why complex language is uniquely human.

More Related Videos

Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language
09:27

Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language

Published on: October 13, 2018

10.3K
Using the Visual World Paradigm to Study Sentence Comprehension in Mandarin-Speaking Children with Autism
06:15

Using the Visual World Paradigm to Study Sentence Comprehension in Mandarin-Speaking Children with Autism

Published on: October 3, 2018

7.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 5, 2026

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization
05:35

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

Published on: April 19, 2017

6.1K
Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language
09:27

Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language

Published on: October 13, 2018

10.3K
Using the Visual World Paradigm to Study Sentence Comprehension in Mandarin-Speaking Children with Autism
06:15

Using the Visual World Paradigm to Study Sentence Comprehension in Mandarin-Speaking Children with Autism

Published on: October 3, 2018

7.0K

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Linguistics
  • Computational modeling

Background:

  • Animal communication relies on non-syntactic signals representing whole situations.
  • Human language is syntactic, using discrete components with individual meanings, crucial for combinatorics.
  • The transition to syntactic communication was a pivotal step in human language evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To model the evolutionary dynamics of the transition from non-syntactic to syntactic communication.
  • To analyze how natural selection drives this transition in language evolution.
  • To determine conditions under which syntax emerges and is favored.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a population dynamics model for language evolution.
  • Defined the basic reproductive ratio of words.
  • Calculated the maximum lexicon size under evolutionary pressures.

Main Results:

  • Syntax enables larger repertoires and novel message formulation.
  • Natural selection favors syntax emergence only if the number of required signals surpasses a specific threshold.
  • The model quantifies the relationship between signal requirements and the evolution of syntax.

Conclusions:

  • The emergence of syntax is contingent on exceeding a critical threshold of signal necessity.
  • This threshold may explain the unique human evolution of syntactic communication and complex language.
  • The study provides a quantitative framework for understanding language evolution through natural selection.