The origin of language: Symbiosism and symbiomism

Title
The origin of language: Symbiosism and symbiomism
Publication Date
2008
Author(s)
van Driem, George
Editor
Editor(s): John D Bengtson
Type of document
Book Chapter
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
John Benjamins
Place of publication
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Edition
1
DOI
10.1075/z.145
UNE publication id
une:17625
Abstract
Symbiosism is a Darwinian model oflanguage and its emergence. Symbiotic Theory operates on the Leiden definition of memes as isofunctional neuroanatomical entities corresponding to linguistic signs in the Saussurean sense, not on the Oxonian conception of memes as units of imitation. Symbiosism treats linguistic forms as vehicles for the reproduction of meaningful elements in the hominid brain and so transcends the obsolete discord between the functionalist or European structuralist conception oflanguage, whereby linguistic forms are seen as instruments used to convey meaningful elements, and the formalist or generative approach, whereby linguistic forms are treated as abstract structures which can be filled with meaningful elements. Symbiomism is the philosophy of life which grew out of Symbiosism and which understands our individual and collective human identity as symbiomes of a biological host and a semiotic symbiont.
Link
Citation
In Hot Pursuit of Language in Prehistory: Essays in the four fields of anthropology, p. 381-400
ISBN
9789027232526
9789027289858
Start page
381
End page
400

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