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Apes and language: Human uniqueness again?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 February 2010

Robert W. Mitchell
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY 40475
H. Lyn Miles
Affiliation:
Departments of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, TN 37411. psymitch@eku.bitnet and lmiles@utcvm.bitnet

Abstract

Wilkins & Wakefield's intriguing model of language evolution is deficient in evidence of human uniqueness in metaphorical matching, amodal representation, reference, conceptual structure, hierarchical organization, linguistic comprehension, sign use, laterality, and handedness. Primates show communicative reference, laterality, and handedness, and apes in particular show hierarchical organization, conceptual structure, cross-modal abilities, sign use, and displaced reference.

Information

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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