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The language capacity: architecture and evolution.

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This summary is machine-generated.

Human language capacity (LC) is a unique biological trait, separate from other cognition. Its core "language of thought" (LOT) relies on simple computational rules, while externalization (EXT) creates apparent language diversity.

Keywords:
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Area of Science:

  • Linguistics
  • Cognitive Science
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Human language capacity (LC) is considered a species-specific biological trait.
  • LC is invariant across human groups and distinct from other cognitive systems.
  • Languages comprise a generative procedure for 'language of thought' (LOT) and externalization (EXT).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the underlying principles of human language capacity.
  • To differentiate the core semantic properties of LOT from the externalization (EXT) process.
  • To explore the evolutionary origins and invariance of LC.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of linguistic structures and their relationship to cognitive systems.
  • Examination of computational principles governing LOT generation.
  • Review of evolutionary and developmental evidence for LC.

Main Results:

  • LOT generation adheres to language-independent computational efficiency principles.
  • EXT is an ancillary process, not core to LOT's semantics, and drives apparent language complexity.
  • Linguistic features like word order may stem from sensory-motor systems, not LOT generation.

Conclusions:

  • LC is a unique human biological property, with LOT as its core, governed by simple computational rules.
  • The diversity and complexity of human languages primarily arise from the EXT process.
  • LC likely emerged with Homo sapiens and has remained stable since.
  • The internal language system is acquired with minimal environmental input.