Daniel Everett, How Language Began: The History of Humanity’s Greatest Invention [reupload]

The second lecture of the Copernicus Festival 2019: "Language", entitled "How Language Began: The Story of Humanity's Greatest Invention", will be given by anthropologist and linguist Daniel Everett. After the lecture, a conversation with prof. Everett will be led by dr Łukasz Lamża.
Daniel Everett - an anthropologist and linguist, researcher of the languages of the Amazon tribes (especially the Pirahã Indians), author of world bestsellers devoted to the nature and evolution of language, including "How Language Began: The Story of Humanity's Greatest Invention"and "Language: The Cultural Tool."
More information: copernicusfestival.com/progra...
#CopernicusFestival #Everett #lecture
Projekt współfinansowany ze środków Miasta Krakowa.

[@vinm300]

The birds in my garden make a two toned whistle, which means a hawk, and every bird (sparrow, blackbird, dunnock, robin, etc) darts for cover at breakneck speed. I know the whistle and understand it, but it takes me a second and a half to realise what has been "said", whereas the bird community respond almost instantly.

[@zipperpillow]

Poor hawk.

[@DandinXY]

Excited for the Everett Era of linguistics, although it’s been going on for a while

[@benhalle906]

He’s a fraud. Not everyone who challenges the established ideas of a field are correct. Everett is no Galileo. Everett is no Copernicus. Everett is no enlightened thinker. Please do not mistake him for one. His claims have been disproved numerous times. His work is dangerous to the field of linguistics since it is so unsound yet so popular.

[@VarliVuitton]

Same here!

[@lj32920]

This presentation was not only interesting and well explained and easy to follow, but you are also very funny. I was wondering what was wrong with the humor of this audience because they seldom laughed, when your explanations and comments were very humorous. I appreciated this presentation very much.

[@zipperpillow]

The audience is Polish. They believe that they are funnier than anyone else. The M.C. could chill more.

[@DustinTheGreat1123]

I’ve listened to several of his lectures now and he has some extremely interesting, and even highly attractive, ideas. I do feel though that he makes some assumptive leaps and, even if this is just his lecture style, at times does not adequately tie ideas together in a convincing or meaningful fashion. I’ve also heard him make a few false linguistic assertions like Korean is a tonal language and Riau Indonesian is a language of Papua New Guinea. But his main thesis and especially arguments in regards to h erectus are worthwhile for anyone interested in the topic.

[@sergiosanchezpadilla6941]

I would not LEAP to say that he made false claims about Korean and Indonesian. I would go and check why he said that... There you go buddy. You got some homework to do now :)

[@DustinTheGreat1123]

ENP 3 - SERGIO SANCHEZ PADILLA Well no, it’s not a question of context or intent in this case. He said that and it’s incorrect. But it’s only a minor peripheral point overall as I said, and it’s part of the sense I got which makes me think he’s rounding some corners on the margins of an otherwise compelling argument.

[@kori228]

if you really look into it, Korean kinda is tonal. Depending on your analysis and definition of tonal language, it's a valid statement.

[@zipperpillow]

Great stuff, and what insight! Well worth the time. Lots of food for thought. A feast, really. Thank you. I will look for more of you.

[@frnkgt00]

Great talk !!! Turn lights on at end folks !

[@zipperpillow]

You need a hobby.

[@dangallagher8034]

Wonderfully produced. Daniel... amazing work. Thank you so much.

[@oakleyreyansh6447]

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[@mohamedkyson440]

@Oakley Reyansh Instablaster ;)

[@oakleyreyansh6447]

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[@oakleyreyansh6447]

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[@mohamedkyson440]

@Oakley Reyansh Glad I could help :)

[@sepuste]

One day Daniel Everett will be studied in schools.

[@d7dh523]

Steve Null I don’t think so too weak evidence

[@JohnDoe-nv2op]

@@d7dh523 Sure! Chomsky has many more. Right?

[@d7dh523]

John Doe I think yes Chomsky is closer to the truth

[@JohnDoe-nv2op]

@@d7dh523 I can see that! Because of that in 50 years zero progress has been made. Chomsky is a cancer. This guy will be in history books.

[@d7dh523]

John Doe he’s copying the theory of evolution in biology and then he put it into linguistics.. this is not how science works .. no field has done that yet.. be a man search and come up with your own theories..

[@sergiosanchezpadilla6941]

41:55 Pragmatics. We even assume the gender of "spouse" in the first example. These are of course easily explained with cognitive neurolinguistics. This talk is so fascinating.

[@winstonsmith7652]

Arrived here after watching my first Daniel Everett talk on Homo Erectus. Fascinating man. Fascinating subject. Thanks.

[@nukhetyavuz]

wow👍great lecture...finally ive found what i was looking for...

[@radoslawjocz2976]

It is very fascinating to know that homo erectus was so smart creature and the presentation was brilliant and convincing. Anthropology and human evolution is very interesting science. One of my favourite topics is formal languages, but it is very interesting to know more about early human languages as well.

[@maximumslap2687]

The Q&A at the end is really the highlight here.

[@SethLigo]

Have they tried tool fabrication with non-PhD students? We tend to have huge blind spots when it comes to certain kinds of thought and practice...

[@falakoala4579]

They should get a trade person to try. Phd students are definitely not known for being handy with manual labour 😂

[@el_amor]

Very true.

[@swagmund_freud6669]

26:30 Anybody have any idea what study he's referring to? That sounds really interesting.

[@ernestscuttle9139]

Makes perfect sense.

[@nunovalves]

Thanks

[@blairhakamies4132]

Well done 🌹

[@malachi5813]

Amazing talk thank you

[@Slipknot87]

moze ktos zrobic napisy do tego? bo wydaje sie mega ciekawe

[@zetus01]

Włącz sobie automatyczne tłumaczenie na polski. Nie jest idealne, ale jest.

[@yehoshuadalven]

Absolutely fascinating and inspiring! Give a like if you solely claps your hands at the end 👏👏👏

[@johnthom3342]

Language has brought us to the brink of extinction by creating the ego which is the delusory notion that we are individuals occupying a body separate and different from all other bodies and things. All the pain and suffering we endure is caused by language including the fear of death.

[@zetus01]

You are not right. Piraha do not fear death. They do not have a creation myth, religion, gods - so they have nothing to be afraid of.

[@berese5826]

36:45 the Ford Model assuredly was not a 'Protocar" since the first "Auto-Mobile" called Fardier was invented 143 years earlier by French scientist Nicolas Cugnot and drove on the streets of Paris in 1765 the tin Lizzy came 1908. There were a lot of cars driving through Europe and the US by that time 😂

[@RileyRampant]

I don't see any reason that the long-term acquisition of language could not have reduced/resolved to universal grammar by a later selection filter. It is very common-sensical to expect that this process, considered in its entirety, is not at all recent.

[@DandinXY]

Recursion is linguistic fractal

[@yidakiman5545]

The Story of science is full of people that are right in the end, even though were treated as outcasts or stupids

[@zetus01]

Evolution from Chomski to Everett has already begun😂

[@porkmilk8984]

How much of our language, our singing, come from animals and birds hundreds of thousands of years ago?

[@casiandsouza7031]

Relative quantity is a form of quality. We use IQ to arbitrarily quantify quality.

[@zipperpillow]

Wrong.

[@michaelmoore7975]

I would like to know when humans 1st developed the ability to convey abstractions.

[@kori228]

52:25 neil armstrong "one small step for man" vs "one small step for a man" probably wasn't a mistake, doesn't fit the overall 5 word phrase structure, which would make it sound less poetic one - one small - giant step - leap for - for a - ? man - mankind although, the omittion of "a" changes the meaning from "one man's actions versus humanity's achievements" to "humanity (in a literal sense) vs humanity's achievements" I doubt it was intentional, but it works perfectly well.

[@veronica_._._._]

It was pre-internet click bait, a hook. Meant to be epic, poetic, punning, paradoxing and more. Quite deliberate, like it was very fashionable in that decade for marketeers to mispell, to snag and Hold attention, as in Kwik. The Moon landing was a propaganda coup.The NASA budget has been unsustainable at that level.We can be very sure that they dotted every i and crossed every t before they decided on the final scripted couplet. So you're right in it being deliberate and pre-meditated.

[@zipperpillow]

You sound left brain.

[@manifold1476]

We native speakers of English don't sit well with taking instructions from non-native speakers of English on the finer points of expression in the English language. When Neil Armstrong spoke of the efforts it took to finally get his boots onto Lunar soil, he spoke like a person who was entirely at home within the English language, because he was. When he said, "That's one small step for man, ...", he did not mis-speak himself. He wasn't bragging about his own abilities as though to say, "That was easy." He was speaking as a person of the nineteen sixties, a time of focus on "Man" and "his achievements". The theme of "Man and His World" at Expo '67 in Montreal had just finished. The music of the day would have us believe that the "age of Aquarius" was a thing. The work of getting down the ladder was well within the capability of the animal that he was, but he was acknowledging that the accomplishment of getting to do the activity he was engaged in was a revolutionary moment for the species as a whole.

[@johnrogan9420]

Moon landing... Don't believe it!

[@zipperpillow]

I disagree. Armstrong choked. Speaking on behalf of all mankind to mankind is presumptuous and arrogant to say the least, but saying "a man" is news reporting.

[@annaclarafenyo8185]

Everett's conclusion about long-distance sea-travel is unwarranted, there are no Erectus communities in Hawaii. What it suggests is that the Islands could be reached by means other than boat for short periods, either through a bridge of silt or coral, or whatever, or floating logs. It is not reasonable to assume such a technological sophistication, as boat-making requires wooden joints and pitch water-proofing, both of which would imply that you can design a nail, or a comb, which Erectus couldn't do.

[@andrewferguson6901]

id be careful to make too many assumptions about wood joints requiring nails when lincoln logs exist

[@zipperpillow]

You are wrong.

[@zetus01]

Why are you so certain? (Erectus couldn't do)

[@annaclarafenyo8185]

@@zetus01 Because of the known erectus tools, they aren't sophisticated enough for boats. Maybe using natural rafts.

[@stevelenores5637]

So the movie 1 million BC wasn't far off. Was there a homo erectus version of Rachel Welch?

[@zentratuskrypto3521]

apparently the speaker is in fact a Christian Darwinist... can we have another video of him explaining that please?

[@p5rsona]

Think about language is as he says it uses symbols to convey meaning but our minds when growing starts to believe the icon to be the real thing. So when we use the word tree to label a tree, over time we reduce the tree to the mere label of tree along with all the characteristics we may think of a tree. We no longer see the tree for what it is. I feel language has robbed us of reality, by reducing it to symbols for convenience/survival sake. This applies to us and and the beliefs of ourselves which is very destructive.

[@zipperpillow]

You are correct. Self-inflicted wound.

[@charlesco7413]

He picked up a tool (the stick) to help learn their language.

[@dancroitoru364]

I don't know why he totally ignores the Freud, Levy Strauss, structuralist path that suggests symbols appeared with the necessity to preserve kinship and avoid incest. In that interpretation the first real symbol was the name assigned by the master of the primitive tribe to an individual so that the individual or family can call the master by their name when kinship relations were threatened. Also the example he gave of naming a particle by using a name from a literary piece was beyond pathetic since the path that led the researcher to discover the particle was possible only by structured thoughts (logos), thus by language. Also he seems to confuse symbols which are totally arbitrary with sophisticated signs which are just refinements of an index to make it more useful. The fact that an erectus sculpted that iconic image of a woman he was obsessed with doesn't make that piece of art - a symbol - he certainly did not call it "fertility" or "woman" -))) It can be argued that erectus survived all evolutionary bottlenecks (obstacles towards forming a large sophisticated society) and made it all the way to sapiens by avoiding incest and preserving kinship thus regulating disease and unnecessary violence.

[@marcverhaegen7943]

Human language might be 200,000 years old, but the biological preadaptations to hman speech are much older, google e.g. "Speech originS Verhaegen PPT".

[@sepuste]

That's precisely what he says, his speculation is that language begun 1 or even 2 millon years ago with Homo Erectus.

[@alloutride]

The origin of everything

[@d7dh523]

Tikboy TV this is just so stories

[@MrJustSomeGuy87]

@@d7dh523 says the guy posting everywhere about how Chomsky was right.

[@d7dh523]

@@MrJustSomeGuy87 what ??!! Chomsky has nothing to do with my opinion

[@MrJustSomeGuy87]

@@d7dh523 you know people can read your other comments on this video where you say Chomsky is closer to the truth and that you agree with him that language didn’t evolve . Chomsky’s view is the ultimate “just so” story

[@d7dh523]

@@MrJustSomeGuy87 I don’t care about names I care about ideas. There’s nothing personal my friend

[@veronicalogotheti5416]

We are not from the same star We have the humans and the ape people of evolution

[@squatch545]

Macaulay Culkin disliked this video.

[@d7dh523]

Joe Smith lol why

[@squatch545]

@@d7dh523 Watch the video.

[@zhdlispd]

没有中文吗

[@partialintegral]

连波兰语都没有啊

[@partialintegral]

How come a piece of wood has survived for 400K years? Was it made of noble wood or something?

[@zipperpillow]

Is your head made of wood?

[@humbertocamargo6275]

Language begins to develop when women become the object of desire for men. (fragment essay)

[@ukrainianpunisher]

Real linguist

[@kishoretadiparthiexplorer2958]

Language is Coincidental formed

[@veronicalogotheti5416]

Africa

[@leroyjones6170]

That joke is my people

[@johnrogan9420]

Tones

[@johnrogan9420]

Language

[@casiandsouza7031]

The first language could not leave a rosetta stone. Conceptual breakdown may be communicated through language and rectified through language. Language doesn't break down. Society may be considered a democratic repository of individual culture - the majority prevail. Before sign language there must have been body language. Thought is like God - the beginning and the end. Language has to fit in between. Humour enables us to laugh off the unpleasant. The Pitaha are aware that sex organs should be proportional. I don't think they consider exaggerating funny. However, I can't figure how they related it to the Jesus narrative.

[@zipperpillow]

That's because you don't understand humor.

[@casiandsouza7031]

@@zipperpillow perhaps! However, there is no doubt about what hides behind a zipper.

[@zetus01]

It was a funny suggestion for Daniel E to stop talking about Jesus ... Satisfied with my explanation ?

[@xemdutup]

a great linguistics discovered happened in 2018 the universal alphabetic law 2018 please let the world know ASAP It is a crime obstructing it linguistics of today is full of

[@veronicalogotheti5416]

Language always existed in humans

[@veronicalogotheti5416]

All greek About the cosmos democracy And other ancient cultures from the south Mesopotamia atlantians

[@veronicalogotheti5416]

They cant find the conexion Human and apes

[@zipperpillow]

Like you can't find "spellcheck"?

[@thorddespace2773]

Artifacts postulated stolen ... well, in effect, more often taken care of.

[@johnrogan9420]

Now it is proven that Neanderthal could speak!

[@marcossealey8612]

Hell Joe Biden mentioned NEADERTHAL the other day...Of course U guys can speak!!!

[@etymologist1976]

CHOSEN(COREA) language🇰🇷 The Korean language has roots in Sanskrit, Dravida, English, and Latin. It has already been discovered by Korean linguists and etymologists.

[@TheBrofessor]

lol take your meds

[@kori228]

in terms of orthography, it's possible (Phags-pa). Otherwise you're high lmao

[@veronicalogotheti5416]

Like havings prions in the blood

[@veronicalogotheti5416]

The ancient greeks i think knew more than this person

[@zipperpillow]

Easily more than you.

[@beingnonbeing]

I do not appreciate so many commercials and being forced to watch 2 minute sad ads

[@johnrogan9420]

Emoji... A Japanese invention.

[@veronica_._._._]

Wow! what are really mendacious statement for a Linguist to make., Such deceptive language. "Most artifacts from around the world "are" stolen and put in the "British" Museum. Like there are no other long established museums in the world with the same complicated legacy haha Just those Brits over there huh? - just for a moment there, trying to "be less white"? (as Coca Cola mind bogglingly insisted.) No wonder his voice dipped as he microfroze but then mumbled on anyway, sad identity crisis right there. "Are?" (Currently stealing) The current looting in Syria ( Greek and Roman artifacts preferrred so they can be passed off as, not from a war zone) is l00% disappearing into that world heritage black hole, private collections, undocumented because they are stolen and therefore lost to the world forever. You been in the Kabul Museum lately? (Loaded question of course) Currently what little of the collections is left is guarded by armed Taliban - so good luck! Over 20 years most of the precious metal artifacts were looted, and either melted down! or sold intact to private buyers, (Many of them were unique pieces, gift exchanges between Royalty of many ancient kingdoms). Anything say, neolithic and say made of clay or stone or bone, was presumed as worthless and thrown on a dung heap, all that prehistory stolen and destroyed, all that artisanship in private hands in safety deposit boxes, gone forever. poor Afghan people, and impoverished world. ( Bamiyan Statues? Too big to steal Blown up!) Emotionally, museum collections are a hot topic for every one. (Those Elgin Marbles need to have plaster copies made, then they need to go, asap) But, in a world where the top billionaires have increased their wealth tenfold in the last 2 years, and are looking to sink some into one offs - irreplaceables (after buying up most of our land) and where cartels use antiquities as collateral on drug deals, we need to think long and hard about consequences. And call out the "Ooh but l'm different, l'm one the good guys " spinelessness. .

[@zipperpillow]

Did widdle Veronica make a doody? Or is it PMS? Try making some Art. You'll know if it's good or not if someone tries to steal it. Chances are, the artists who made all of that great museum Art had it stolen from themselves, or were paid very little relative to its value. Mozart died broke, buried in a pauper's grave. Why don't you get a boyfriend so you can focus your hate, rather than spewing it all over?

[@veronica_._._._]

@@zipperpillow What a magnificently deranged answer, (tbf it's a poopy masterpiece in its subgenre) So who hurt you? Hmmm! Maybe this is a clue, that's 2 very different Veronicas, on this post alone, that you have been randomly triggered by, and it's not a common moniker (except in Spanish), conincidink? I think not. All the Veronicas.... all the Veronicas, from now on ....and always and forever Veronicas... What a truly heroic and unique quest.

[@veronicalogotheti5416]

Not in the ape people

[@veronicalogotheti5416]

Homo erectus didnt speak

[@jakubgruchalski3363]

now, that's what I call charlatanry...

[@FilipPuzyr]

Cool but he bombed the jokes.

[@zipperpillow]

Is that you, Filip Puzyr? Aren't you supposed to be at Troll school?

[@TheOne-er7nk]

Homo erectus... 🤣

[@veronicalogotheti5416]

I dont know how they allowed these person go around saying these things Proven lies

[@zipperpillow]

Send me some pics. You sound nasty.

[@veronicalogotheti5416]

That is not true And not all people are from africa Things that are proven

[@zipperpillow]

Grammar, sweetie, use your grammar.

[@veronicalogotheti5416]

The guy should read about genetics So you are from neandertal Scandinavians

[@michellenicholls9039]

The audience is weird lol do they not laugh?

[@DandinXY]

Homo narrans > Homo sapiens

[@veronicalogotheti5416]

That is neandertal

[@gk-qf9hv]

Preaching Jesus among those pure people is the BIGGEST crime against humanity! You ought to be ashamed!

[@zipperpillow]

I think killing them is probably worse. You sound preachy.

[@d7dh523]

What a speculations based on a rock I think every animals have a communication system.. again you speculated the geography of the world 🌎 millions of years ago is the same and this is wrong ... there’s just not enough evidence I am sorry.. he doesn’t like Noam Chomsky and Noam dismiss this idea

[@7190707]

Noam who? Lol!

[@d7dh523]

Mountain Cynic hhhhhhh I know its funny

[@belstar1128]

@@7190707 He is a 100 year old communist.

[@zipperpillow]

Don't be sorry, be quiet instead. Grown-ups are talking.

[@c.t5136]

Don't agree on symbols, so stopped watching.

[@gk-qf9hv]

So.. 30 people with no language cannot build a boat.. But one man can?! Lol Minimum logic must be a requirement for someone to become a lecturer, please!

[@zipperpillow]

I've built many boats by myself. But I understand my own language. You did not understand him. Your problem.

[@gk-qf9hv]

@@zipperpillow I have built a boat with two Greek guys, and we did it all without understanding each other. But you are obviously so smart..

[@peterreaney7158]

Total rubbish based on 0 evidence. One time this would be called head the ball

[@coolstorybro6076]

? How so. When you're dealing with an extinct past you are only dealing with conjecture.... Homo Erectus knowing language isn't outlandish at all btw.

[@zipperpillow]

Pete, why all the anger?

[@tarnopol]

Fraud.

[@dmblum1]

I don't buy this bullshit.

[@coolstorybro6076]

I'm sure you buy other forms of bullshit all the time.

[@zipperpillow]

No one cares what you think, Dave.