Pinker argues that language is a human instinct, wired into our brains by evolution like web spinning in spiders and sonar in bats. Web page with links to related material . A a witty and compelling work, synthesizing the best of cognitive science and evolutionary biology, by the director of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Pinker argues that language is a human instinct, wired into our brains by evolution like web spinning in spiders and sonar in bats. Web page with links to related material .
Any language is a bundle of dialects, none of which is superior to any other.
Shakespeare's plays might be more enjoyable translated into modern English. Teaching Black English to black school children doesn't make sense, even though it is a systematic dialect and a national treasure. Fascinating, clear discussion of important topics. In providing his fascinating answers to this question, he marshals empirical evidence and theoretical models from phonetics, linguistics and psychology. More for scientists than general reaers.