July 14, 2025

Evolving syntax and the lexicon from categorization

Key Points

Main finding shows that cross-modal categorization developed from amodal categorization through human self-domestication.
Key evidence suggests that improved categorization abilities led to enhanced lexicalization and syntactic combinatorics.
Approach utilized theoretical analysis of the evolution of language and categorization skills in humans compared to non-human animals.
Significance lies in understanding how language emerged and evolved, influencing modern linguistic structures.

Abstract

In this article, we argue that our distinctive ability for cross-modal categorization evolved from amodal categorization, an ability shared with non-human animals, under the gradual influence of human self-domestication (HSD). In turn, this improved ability fostered both lexicalization and syntactic combinatorics (Merge) abilities and paved the way towards the emergence of our distinctive faculty of language and, ultimately, of modern languages.

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Cite This Study

Benítez‐Burraco et al. (Mon,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/689a02b6e6551bb0af8cc2fa https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/v7uya_v1