EVOLUTIONARY PRINCIPLES AND THE EMERGENCE OF SYNTAX

The belief that syntax is an innate, autonomous, species-specific modu le is highly questionable. Syntax demonstrates the mosaic nature of ev olutionary change, in that it made use of (and led to the enhancement of) numerous preexisting neurocognitive features. It is best understoo d as an emergent characteristic of the explosion of semantic complexit y that occurred during hominid evolution.