| Publication |
New York, Harper Perennial, 2011.
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| Summary/Abstract |
The mysteries of language are explored in this original and hugely entertaining book. Steven Pinker uses a deceptively simple phenomenon - regular and irregular verbs to illuminate an astonishing array of topics; the history of languages, what we can learn from children's grammatical mistakes, the genetic and neurobiological underpinnings of language and some of the major themes in Western philosophy.
The key idea - that language comprises a mental dictionary of memorized words and a mental grammar of creative rules - extends beyond language, offering insight into the nature of thinking.
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| Standard Number |
9780062011909
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