title: The evolution of language from social cognition.
abstract: Despite their differences, human language and the vocal communication of nonhuman primates share many features. Both constitute a form of joint action, rely on similar neural mechanisms, and involve discrete, combinatorial cognition. These shared features suggest that during evolution the ancestors of modern primates faced similar social problems and responded by evolving similar systems of perception, communication and cognition. When language later evolved from this common foundation, many of its distinctive features were already in place.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, 3720 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Electronic address: seyfarth@psych.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Seyfarth
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Dorothy L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Cheney
mesh_terms: D000819:Animal Communication; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D012919:Social Behavior