Growth points from the very beginning

McNeill, David; Duncan, Susan D.; Cole, Jonathan; Gallagher, Shaun; Bertenthal, Bennett

doi:10.1075/is.9.1.09mcn

Article published In:

Holophrasis vs Compositionality in the Emergence of Protolanguage
Edited by Michael A. Arbib and Derek Bickerton
[Interaction Studies 9:1] 2008
► pp. 117–132

Growth points from the very beginning

David McNeill | Department of Psychology, University of Chicago

Susan D. Duncan

Jonathan Cole | University of Bournemouth and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Clinical Neurophysiology, Poole Hospital, U. K.

Shaun Gallagher | Department of Philosophy, University of Central Florida

Bennett Bertenthal | Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University

Early humans formed language units consisting of global and discrete dimensions of semiosis in dynamic opposition, or ‘growth points.’ At some point, gestures gained the power to orchestrate actions, manual and vocal, with significances other than those of the actions themselves, giving rise to cognition framed in dual terms. However, our proposal emphasizes natural selection of joint gesture-speech, not ‘gesture-first’ in language origin.

Keywords: social interaction, pantomime, gesture, growth point theory, thinking-for-speaking

Published online: 7 March 2008

https://doi.org/10.1075/is.9.1.09mcn

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