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In this introductory course, we will explore the development of language in the individual as well as the evolution of the language capacity at the species level. We will begin by considering what a natural history encompasses and how it applies to an entity such as language. We will then examine how a first language is acquired, the characteristic stages of first-language acquisition, and the biological and genetic basis of language in humans. Along the way, we will also look at language and communication in other species and consider their accomplishments in light of human language. Later in the semester, we will consider several proposals for the origin and evolution of human language, the diversity and distribution of languages, and language extinction. Throughout this course, students will participate in discussion and language analysis activities.
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