The Evolution, Acquisition and Development of Syntax
Insights from Creole Languages and Beyond

Bringing together an interdisciplinary team of scholars, this book highlights current debates on syntax, with a focus on Creole languages.

Dany Adone (Edited by), Astrid Gabel (Edited by)

9781009221948, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 6 February 2025

334 pages
23.5 x 15.8 x 2.4 cm, 0.63 kg

Bringing together an interdisciplinary team of scholars, this book explores three interconnected aspects of syntax - its origins and evolution, its acquisition by children, and its role in languages' ongoing development and change. These three distinct areas were linked through Bickerton's most provocative work 'Language Bioprogram Hypothesis' (LBH). This book highlights the discussions on syntax that have emerged over the years as a result of the LBH model. Each chapter include a discussion of Bickerton's work, and a special focus is placed on Creole languages, which provide unique case studies for the study of the evolution, acquisition and development of languages. The book also discusses the relevance of LBH for other natural languages, including sign languages. Shedding light on the relevance of syntax in language, it is essential reading for researchers and students in a wide range of linguistic disciplines.

1. Introduction Dany Adone and Astrid Gabel
Part I. The Evolution of Syntax: 2. From the protolanguage spectrum to the underlying bases of language Michael A. Arbib
3. From protolanguage to deuterolanguage: the importance of compounds Andrew Carstairs-McCarthy
4. The SOV mystery and language evolution T. Givón
5. Broken windows: Creoles, Pidgins, and language evolution Paul T. Roberge
6. Roots of syntax: Anaphora and Negation in Creoles William O'Grady
Part II. The Acquisition of Syntax: 7. Acquisition of negation in Jamaican Tamirand Nnena De Lisser and Stephanie Durrleman
8. Missing subjects in creole acquisition: insights from Jamaican and Morisyen – Tamirand Nnena De Lisser and Stephanie Durrleman
9. Home signs as a window on language creation Dany Adone
10. Young children creating grammars: are twins' languages like Pidgins or Creoles? Peter Bakker
Part III. The Development of Syntax: 11. A matter of degree: all languages are mixed Marlyse Baptista and Olivia Sedlacek
12. Negative concord in Creole languages: commonality and variation in the perspective of Bickerton's legacy Viviane Déprez
13. Contrasting the NPs of Indian ocean French creoles Georges Daniel Véronique
14. The nature and development of the 'Quacking Duck' Astrid Gabel
15. Beyond creole: Reflexive constructions in Cape Verdean Portuguese Nélia Alexandre and Dominika Swolkien
16. Decreolization: a special case of language change? Oliver Mayeux
17. Index.

Subject Areas: Historical & comparative linguistics [CFF]