Language Evolution Books

Showing 1-50 of 77
The Power of Babel: A Natural History of Language The Power of Babel: A Natural History of Language (Paperback)
by (shelved 3 times as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.00 — 3,198 ratings — published 2001
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Why Only Us: Language and Evolution Why Only Us: Language and Evolution (Hardcover)
by (shelved 2 times as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.77 — 279 ratings — published
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The First Idea: How Symbols, Language, and Intelligence Evolved from Our Primate Ancestors to Modern Humans The First Idea: How Symbols, Language, and Intelligence Evolved from Our Primate Ancestors to Modern Humans (Paperback)
by (shelved 2 times as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.86 — 110 ratings — published 2004
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The Singing Neanderthals: The Origins of Music, Language, Mind, and Body The Singing Neanderthals: The Origins of Music, Language, Mind, and Body (Hardcover)
by (shelved 2 times as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.89 — 662 ratings — published 2005
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The Unfolding of Language: An Evolutionary Tour of Mankind's Greatest Invention The Unfolding of Language: An Evolutionary Tour of Mankind's Greatest Invention (Paperback)
by (shelved 2 times as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.22 — 4,012 ratings — published 2005
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Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages (Hardcover)
by (shelved 2 times as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.91 — 7,254 ratings — published 2010
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Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language (Hardcover)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.95 — 1,667 ratings — published 2025
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The Gestural Origin of Language (Perspectives on Deafness) The Gestural Origin of Language (Perspectives on Deafness)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.14 — 7 ratings — published 2007
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The Evolution of Communication (Bradford Books) The Evolution of Communication (Bradford Books)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.56 — 18 ratings — published 1996
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The Transition to Language (Oxford Studies in the Evolution of Language) The Transition to Language (Oxford Studies in the Evolution of Language)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.21 — 14 ratings — published 2002
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The Oxford Handbook of Approaches to Language Evolution (Oxford Handbooks) The Oxford Handbook of Approaches to Language Evolution (Oxford Handbooks)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 0.0 — 0 ratings — published
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Reflections on language evolution Reflections on language evolution (Hardcover)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 0.0 — 0 ratings — published
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The Symbolic Species Evolved The Symbolic Species Evolved (Hardcover)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.20 — 5 ratings — published 2011
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Archaeology and Language I: Theoretical and Methodological Orientations (One World Archaeology) Archaeology and Language I: Theoretical and Methodological Orientations (One World Archaeology)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.50 — 2 ratings — published 1997
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Sydney Brenner's 10-on-10: The Chronicles Of Evolution Sydney Brenner's 10-on-10: The Chronicles Of Evolution (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.67 — 3 ratings — published
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Evolutionary Linguistics (Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics) Evolutionary Linguistics (Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.25 — 4 ratings — published 2012
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How Language Began: The Story of Humanity's Greatest Invention How Language Began: The Story of Humanity's Greatest Invention (Hardcover)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.43 — 989 ratings — published 2017
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How Language Began: Gesture and Speech in Human Evolution How Language Began: Gesture and Speech in Human Evolution (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.40 — 5 ratings — published 2012
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The Evolution of Human Language: Scenarios, principles, and cultural dynamics (Advances in Consciousness Research) The Evolution of Human Language: Scenarios, principles, and cultural dynamics (Advances in Consciousness Research)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 0.0 — 0 ratings — published 2004
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Language in Prehistory Language in Prehistory (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.83 — 24 ratings — published 2015
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Genesis of Symbolic Thought Genesis of Symbolic Thought (Paperback)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.70 — 20 ratings — published 2012
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How the Brain Got Language: The Mirror System Hypothesis (Oxford Studies in the Evolution of Language) How the Brain Got Language: The Mirror System Hypothesis (Oxford Studies in the Evolution of Language)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.82 — 11 ratings — published 2012
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The Language Puzzle: Piecing Together the Six-Million-Year Story of How Words Evolved The Language Puzzle: Piecing Together the Six-Million-Year Story of How Words Evolved (Hardcover)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.89 — 348 ratings — published 2024
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Emergence of Protolanguage: Holophrasis Vs Compositionality Emergence of Protolanguage: Holophrasis Vs Compositionality (ebook)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 2.75 — 4 ratings — published 2010
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The Dawn of Language: Axes, Lies, Midwifery and How We Came to Talk The Dawn of Language: Axes, Lies, Midwifery and How We Came to Talk (Paperback)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.97 — 553 ratings — published 2019
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Origins of Language: A Slim Guide Origins of Language: A Slim Guide (Hardcover)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.67 — 69 ratings — published 2014
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Dark Matter of the Mind: The Culturally Articulated Unconscious Dark Matter of the Mind: The Culturally Articulated Unconscious (Hardcover)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.89 — 45 ratings — published
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Language: The Cultural Tool Language: The Cultural Tool (Hardcover)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.62 — 416 ratings — published 2012
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The Evolution of Human Language: Biolinguistic Perspectives (Approaches to the Evolution of Language) The Evolution of Human Language: Biolinguistic Perspectives (Approaches to the Evolution of Language)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.75 — 8 ratings — published 2010
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From Signal to Symbol: The Evolution of Language (Life and Mind: Philosophical Issues in Biology and Psychology) From Signal to Symbol: The Evolution of Language (Life and Mind: Philosophical Issues in Biology and Psychology)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.92 — 12 ratings — published
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The Social Origins of Language (Duke Institute for Brain Sciences Series) The Social Origins of Language (Duke Institute for Brain Sciences Series)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.75 — 12 ratings — published
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Cognitive Linguistics and Language Evolution (Elements in Cognitive Linguistics) Cognitive Linguistics and Language Evolution (Elements in Cognitive Linguistics)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.00 — 1 rating — published
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More than Nature Needs: Language, Mind, and Evolution More than Nature Needs: Language, Mind, and Evolution (Hardcover)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.34 — 35 ratings — published 2014
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Why We Talk: The Evolutionary Origins of Language (Oxford Studies in the Evolution of Language) Why We Talk: The Evolutionary Origins of Language (Oxford Studies in the Evolution of Language)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.25 — 24 ratings — published 2007
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The Iconic Roots of Language: Essays on the Non-Arbitrary Origins of Human Communication The Iconic Roots of Language: Essays on the Non-Arbitrary Origins of Human Communication (Paperback)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.00 — 1 rating — published 2008
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Speaking Our Minds: Why human communication is different, and how language evolved to make it special Speaking Our Minds: Why human communication is different, and how language evolved to make it special (Paperback)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.13 — 39 ratings — published 2014
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The Oxford Handbook of Language Evolution (Oxford Handbooks) The Oxford Handbook of Language Evolution (Oxford Handbooks)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.30 — 10 ratings — published 2012
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Lucy to Language: The Benchmark Papers Lucy to Language: The Benchmark Papers (Hardcover)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.33 — 3 ratings — published 2014
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Origins of Human Communication Origins of Human Communication (Hardcover)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.14 — 294 ratings — published 1999
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The Symbolic Species: The Co-evolution of Language and the Brain The Symbolic Species: The Co-evolution of Language and the Brain (Paperback)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.20 — 598 ratings — published 1997
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The Origins of Meaning (Oxford Studies in the Evolution of Language) The Origins of Meaning (Oxford Studies in the Evolution of Language)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.12 — 24 ratings — published 2007
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Cognition and Material Culture: The Archaeology of Symbolic Storage (Monograph Series) Cognition and Material Culture: The Archaeology of Symbolic Storage (Monograph Series)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.00 — 5 ratings — published 1999
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A Primate's Memoir: A Neuroscientist's Unconventional Life Among the Baboons A Primate's Memoir: A Neuroscientist's Unconventional Life Among the Baboons (Paperback)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.39 — 8,729 ratings — published 2001
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The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution (Hardcover)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.16 — 55,685 ratings — published 2009
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The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language (Hardcover)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.23 — 12,190 ratings — published 2011
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Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy (Paperback)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.22 — 1,458 ratings — published 1999
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The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World (CBC Massey Lecture) The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World (CBC Massey Lecture)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.22 — 4,115 ratings — published 2009
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The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal (Paperback)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 4.08 — 28,418 ratings — published 1991
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Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed (Paperback)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.93 — 74,119 ratings — published 2004
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Speak Not: Empire, Identity and the Politics of Language Speak Not: Empire, Identity and the Politics of Language (Hardcover)
by (shelved 1 time as language-evolution)
avg rating 3.94 — 103 ratings — published
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Daniel C. Dennett
“Perhaps we are just apes with brains being manipulated by memes in much the way we are manipulated by the cold virus. Instead of looking only at the prerequisite competences our ancestors needed to have in order for language to get under way, perhaps we should also consider unusual vulnerabilities that might make our ancestors the ideal hosts for infectious but nonvirulent habits (memes) that allowed us to live and stay mobile long enough for them to replicate through our populations.”
Daniel C. Dennett, From Bacteria to Bach and Back: The Evolution of Minds

Jo Walton
“Welsh mutates initial consonants. Actually all languages do, but most of them take centuries, while Welsh does it while your mouth is still open.”
Jo Walton, Among Others

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