Cultural Darwinism and Language

Abstract

This article examines the effect of cultural selection on the development of language in humans. First, it is claimed that directive and expressive types of speech acts are commonly found in many animal species. Representative speech acts, on the other hand, with the exception of animal "calls," are found primarily among humans. !t is argued that a cultural environment is a probable selective factor for the capacity to produce representative speech acts. Second, it is argued that representative speech acts, once they became part of language, acted as a selective factor for increased intelligence and associated greater brain size. And, finally, it is argued that the capacity to create representative speech acts selected for brains that could store great numbers of memory episodes and narratives, as well as plan for the future. [Key words: evolution, language, cultural selection, brain, intelligence, memory]