
Contents
Cite
Extract
This is not a neuroscience or linguistics textbook. Many good textbooks on those subjects are available.1 This book is the history of an encounter of two cultures: linguistics and the neurosciences (or, more precisely, the cognitive neurosciences).2 It is also the attempt to expose a “hidden” revolution in contemporary science: the discovery that the number of possible grammars is not infinite and that their number is biologically limited. I say “hidden” because, despite the fact that concepts as difficult and revolutionary as natural selection and black holes have made their way into the public discourse, little has been said about this radical change in the way we look at language, a change that is no less surprising than the discovery of black holes. It requires a rethinking not just of the fundamentals of linguistics and the neurosciences but also of our view of the human mind.
Together we will move forward in search of the boundaries of Babel,3 the neurobiological constraints on the apparent chaotic variation of human languages. I will try to give the essential elements so that readers who are not experts in linguistics or the neurosciences can grasp this revolution. In order to do this, I will give a short summary of some of the fundamental results from linguistics research in the last fifty years. I will also describe two recent neuroimaging experiments that I was fortunate enough to take part in. Finally, I will present a line of language research where the impact of our biological structure is crucial.
Sign in
Personal account
- Sign in with email/username & password
- Get email alerts
- Save searches
- Purchase content
- Activate your purchase/trial code
- Add your ORCID iD
Purchase
Our books are available by subscription or purchase to libraries and institutions.
Purchasing informationMonth: | Total Views: |
---|---|
December 2023 | 1 |
August 2024 | 1 |
Get help with access
Institutional access
Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:
IP based access
Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.
Sign in through your institution
Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.
If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.
Sign in with a library card
Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.
Society Members
Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:
Sign in through society site
Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:
If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.
Sign in using a personal account
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.
Personal account
A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.
Viewing your signed in accounts
Click the account icon in the top right to:
Signed in but can't access content
Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.
Institutional account management
For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.