We would like it very much if machines could be more like humans. We can all express our
ideas in at least one language. Some people are proficient at several languages and can …

As is true for many important things in life, this book grew out of an experience with failure.
Specifically, I had just given (what I thought was) a riveting talk at a major conference …

Language acquisition has always been a crucial topic in cognitive science; every major
theoretical framework has tried to account for it in some way. There are many reasons for its …

Word learning is often considered the simplest and least controversial aspect of language
development. Although theorists fiercely debate the ontogenetic and phylogenetic origins of …

Language is amazingly useful. We use it to talk about things that are not present, to
communicate abstract concepts and thoughts in our heads, and even (through writing) to …

This article explains the evolution of capacity for learning a language in the human species.
Several essential cognitive capacities had to be developed before language could even …

In this chapter, we examine the challenging issue of how children learn their first words and
become master word learners before they can tie their shoes. By the end of the first year …

Language is a uniquely human phenomenon. While other species can communicate with
each other in all sorts of sophisticated ways, from the songs of humpback whales to the …

Language is a uniquely human achievement. All of the major social achievements of human
culture--architecture, literature, law, science, art, and even warfare--rely on the use of …

Language is a complex human capacity. The speed with which young children learn it is a
remarkable feat. Across diverse cultures and family structures, children learn thousands of …