Mental Time Travel and language evolution: a narrative account of the origins of human communication

• Published in: Language sciences (Oxford) Vol. 63; pp. 105 - 118
• Main Authors: Ferretti, F., Adornetti, I., Chiera, A., Nicchiarelli, S., Magni, R., Valeri, G., Marini, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2017; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Animal communication; Animals; Autism; Cognition; Distinctive features; Global coherence; Mental Time Travel; Narrative; Narratives; Origin of language; Pantomime; Storytelling; Time travel; Autism; Mental Time Travel; Origin of language; Global coherence; Narrative; Pantomime

In this paper we propose a narrative account for the origin of language. Such a proposal is based on two assumptions. The first is conceptual and concerns the idea that the distinctive feature of human language (what sets it apart from other forms of animal communication) has to be traced to its inh...