Un'altra Babele. Lo stallo tra le ipotesi sulle origini e l’evoluzione del linguaggio

In this article, I aim to provide an overview of the debate concerning the origin and evolution of language, although its vastness prevents a comprehensive synopsis. My hope is to offer some useful insights to those approaching this diverse scenario, at least in broad strokes. I will attempt to explore how Noam Chomsky and scholars aligned with his school seek to reconcile Chomsky’s well-known theory, Universal Grammar, with a non-conventional theory of natural evolution. Subsequently, I will present the line of thought directly competing with the Chomskyan approach, the Darwinian adaptationist perspective, and summarize a position that could be considered hybrid, akin to a mosaic, introducing a recent exemplary hypothesis proposed by Robert Planer and Kim Sterelny. Following this, I will undertake a comparison of the reasons supporting or weakening both families of theories. Lastly, I will offer some brief conclusions that appeal to a desirable methodological compromise. © (2024), (Societa Editrice Il Mulino). All rights reserved.