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Title Language and recursion / Francis Lowenthal, Laurent Lefebvre, editors
Published New York : Springer, [2014]
©2014

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Description 1 online resource (236 pages) : illustrations
Contents What Is Recursion? -- Pragmatics as the Origin of Recursion / Stephen C. Levinson -- Investigating Recursion Within a Domain-Specific Framework / Maurício Dias Martins and William Tecumseh Fitch -- Recursive Cognition as a Prelude to Language / Michael C. Corballis -- Non-verbal Communication Devices, Implicit Learning, Language and Recursion -- Nonverbal Communication Devices, Language, Cerebral Flexibility, and Recursive Exercises / Francis Lowenthal and Laurent Lefebvre -- Computer Simulations of Recursive Exercises for a Nonverbal Communication Device / Philippe Fortemps, Francis Lowenthal and Vincent Wautié -- Implicit Learning and Recursion / M. Rohrmeier, Z. Dienes, X. Guo and Q. Fu -- Emergence of Grammar in Human and Non-human Animal Communication -- Early Rule-Learning Ability and Language Acquisition / Judit Gervain -- Is There a Brain Basis of Recursion? / Angela D. Friederici -- Primate Communication: Meaning from Strings of Calls / Klaus Zuberbühler and Alban Lemasson -- About Formal Grammars and Artificial Intelligence -- Unification and Efficient Computation in the Minimalist Program / Sandiway Fong -- Recursion in Generative Grammar / Robert Freidin -- Computational Language Related to Recursion, Incursion and Fractal / Daniel M. Dubois -- Philosophy, Recursion and Language -- Consciousness, Recursion and Language / Roger Vergauwen -- There Is No Recursion in Language / Pierre Frath -- Synthesis of the Main Discussion Sessions -- Synthesis of the Main Discussions / Francis Lowenthal
Summary As humans, our many levels of language use distinguish us from the rest of the animal world. For many scholars, it is the recursive aspect of human speech that makes it truly human. But linguists continue to argue about what recursion actually is, leading to the central dilemma: is full recursion, as defined by mathematicians, really necessary for human language? Language and Recursion defines the elusive construct with the goal of furthering research into language and cognition. An up-to-date literature review surveys extensive findings based on non-verbal communication devices and neuroimaging techniques. Comparing human and non-human primate communication, the book's contributors examine meaning in chimpanzee calls, and consider the possibility of a specific brain structure for recursion. The implications are then extended to formal grammars associated with artificial intelligence, and to the question of whether recursion is a valid concept at all. Among the topics covered: - The pragmatic origins of recursion. - Recursive cognition as a prelude to language. - Computer simulations of recursive exercises for a non-verbal communication device. - Early rule learning ability and language acquisition. - Computational language related to recursion, incursion, and fractals - Why there may be no recursion in language. Regardless of where one stands in the debate, Language and Recursion has much to offer the science community, particularly cognitive psychologists and researchers in the science of language. By presenting these multiple viewpoints, the book makes a solid case for eventual reconciliation
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes Online resource; title from PDF title page (ebrary, viewed December 28, 2013)
Subject Biolinguistics.
Grammar, Comparative and general -- Syntax.
Language and languages -- Philosophy.
Recursion theory.
Linguistics.
Language and languages.
Linguistics
Language
linguistics.
LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES -- Linguistics -- Historical & Comparative.
Linguistics
Language and languages
Biolinguistics
Grammar, Comparative and general -- Syntax
Language and languages -- Philosophy
Recursion theory
Form Electronic book
Author Lefebvre, Laurent, editor
Lowenthal, Francis, editor
ISBN 9781461494140
1461494141
1461494133
9781461494133