Part 1 Puzzles 3
1 A natural curiosity:How did language begin? 3
2 A peculiar habit: What is language for? 16
3 The bother at Babel: Why do languages differ so much? 26
4 Distinct duties:Is language an independent skill? 38
Part 2 Origin 49
5 The family tree:The evolutionary background 49
6 A devious mind: The basic requirements 65
7 Broken air: Inherited ingredients 77
8 Small beginnings: First steps 93
Part 3 Evolution 107
9 The second word: The emergence of rules 107
10 The tower of speech: Expansion 123
11 Time travelling: Extra attachments 135
12 Rebuilding on the high seas: Keeping going 148
Part 4 Diffusion 161
13 The widening circle:Moving outwards 161
14 The hidden core:The hunt for universals 175
15 The real magician:Ruling the rules 187
16 Unweaving the rainbow: Separating the strands 201
17 The endless stair: Past and future 212
Symbols used in the text 222
Notes and suggestions for further reading 223
References 245
Index 269
文库索引 283