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The Origin of Language

By Madeleine Beekman

The Origin of Language

By Madeleine Beekman

- Default Title
Description
In a radical new story about the birth of our species, The Origin of Language argues that it was not hunting, fighting, or tool-making that forced early humans to speak, but the inescapable need to care for our children. Journeying to the dawn of Homo sapiens, evolutionary biologist Madeleine Beekman reveals the “happy accidents” hidden in our molecular biology—DNA, chromosomes, and proteins—that led to one of the most fateful events in the history of life on Earth: our giving birth to babies earlier in their development than our hominid cousins the Neanderthals and Denisovans. Faced with highly dependent infants requiring years of nurturing and protection, early human communities needed to cooperate and coordinate, and it was this unprecedented need for communication that triggered the creation of human language—and changed everything. Infused with cutting-edge science, sharp humour, and insights into the history of biology and its luminaries, Beekman weaves a narrative that’s both enlightening and entertaining. Challenging the traditional theories of male luminaries like Chomksy, Pinker, and Harari, she invites us into the intricate world of molecular biology and its ancient secrets. The Origin of Language is a tour de force by a brilliant biologist on how a culture of cooperation and care have shaped our existence.  
Product details
Binding:
Paperback
Edition:
1
Number of Pages:
320
Release Date:
2025-08-14
Publication Date:
2025-08-14
Publisher:
Simon + Schuster UK
Languages:
Original: English
ISBN10:
139854843X
ISBN13:
9781398548435
Weight:
348 g
Height:
155 cm
Width:
233 cm
Thickness:
25 cm
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