Abstract
The source and nature of earliest speech and civilization are puzzles which have intrigued people for many centuries. This study explores ancient Greek views on the source and nature of the world's first society and first language. Two of the book's chapters are based on close readings of passages in Homer and Herodotus, while the remaining chapters are broader surveys of a variety of Greek literary texts. Topics covered include the nature of the language used both by men and animals in the idyllic golden age, accounts of humans' ascent to civilised life and their acquisition of language, and exotic creatures and peoples who have only limited linguistic capacities. Discussions of Enlightenment thinkers and modern theories of glottogenesis and language acquisition set Greek assumptions in a wider perspective.
Original language | English |
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Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Number of pages | 272 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9780191719578 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780199256167 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Jan 2010 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© Oxford University Press, 2013. All Rights Reserved.
Keywords
- Civilised life
- Enlightenment thinkers
- First language
- First society
- Glottogenesis
- Greek literary texts
- Herodotus
- Homer
- Idyllic golden age
- Language acquisition