Search engine for discovering works of Art, research articles, and books related to Art and Culture
Javascript must be enabled to continue!
Archaeolinguistics and the languages of hunter-gatherers
View through CrossRef
Abstract
This chapter surveys the particular problems posed by the languages of hunter-gatherer groups, particularly where all languages in a family are spoken by hunter-gatherers, for the archaeolinguistic enterprise. After surveying the problematics of ‘hunter-gatherers’ as a term, the distinctive features of lexicon and grammar of hunter-gatherer languages, then passes to what lexical ‘hooks’ are available nonetheless for studies in the Wörter und Sachen tradition, and on to some case studies of how social and cosmological features of hunter-gatherer societies have been reconstructed. Notwithstanding the special difficulties that such languages and their families present for the archaeolinguistic enterprise, they are vital if we are to understand the vast majority of human prehistory, since for more than 95–99% of human history (depending on our heritage) our ancestors lived and spoke as hunter-gatherers.
Title: Archaeolinguistics and the languages of hunter-gatherers
Description:
Abstract
This chapter surveys the particular problems posed by the languages of hunter-gatherer groups, particularly where all languages in a family are spoken by hunter-gatherers, for the archaeolinguistic enterprise.
After surveying the problematics of ‘hunter-gatherers’ as a term, the distinctive features of lexicon and grammar of hunter-gatherer languages, then passes to what lexical ‘hooks’ are available nonetheless for studies in the Wörter und Sachen tradition, and on to some case studies of how social and cosmological features of hunter-gatherer societies have been reconstructed.
Notwithstanding the special difficulties that such languages and their families present for the archaeolinguistic enterprise, they are vital if we are to understand the vast majority of human prehistory, since for more than 95–99% of human history (depending on our heritage) our ancestors lived and spoke as hunter-gatherers.
Related Results
Neolithic Complex Hunter-Gatherers in Korea Revisitied
Neolithic Complex Hunter-Gatherers in Korea Revisitied
The present essay critically reviews the recent attempt to conceptualize the Neolithic society in Korea as complex hunter-gatherers. While large scale settlements with 20 to 30, an...
Local increases in admixture with hunter-gatherers followed the initial expansion of Neolithic farmers across continental Europe
Local increases in admixture with hunter-gatherers followed the initial expansion of Neolithic farmers across continental Europe
Abstract
The replacement of hunter-gatherer lifestyles by agriculture represents a pivotal change in human history. The initial stage of this Neolithic transition i...
Are we jingling modern hunter-gatherers and early Homo sapiens?
Are we jingling modern hunter-gatherers and early Homo sapiens?
Abstract
Using modern hunter-gatherers to infer about early Homo sapiens only works if at least (a) modern hunter-gatherers represent an unbiased sample of humanity, and (b) mod...
The Oxford Handbook of Archaeology and Language
The Oxford Handbook of Archaeology and Language
Abstract
Linguists have long described their findings in an archaeological context, while archaeologists have been interested in what language can tell them about th...
Plant knowledge among Congo Basin hunter-gatherers
Plant knowledge among Congo Basin hunter-gatherers
Plants have long been central to human life, from early hominins to contemporary hunter-gatherers and industrialised societies. In many communities, they remain a primary source of...
Hunter-Gatherer Sociality and the Origins of Human Normative Thinking
Hunter-Gatherer Sociality and the Origins of Human Normative Thinking
Reconstructing the origin and evolution of culturally transmitted norms and institutions in the hominin lineage since our split from a common ancestry with African apes is a daunti...
William Hunter (1718-1783) As Natural Historian: His ‘Geological’ Interests
William Hunter (1718-1783) As Natural Historian: His ‘Geological’ Interests
Hunter was an influential figure who built up large natural history collections, amongst which minerals predominated. He was not a mere collector, however, and both his library and...
Extensive farming in Estonia started through a sex-biased migration from the Steppe
Extensive farming in Estonia started through a sex-biased migration from the Steppe
Abstract
Farming-based economies appear relatively late in Northeast Europe and the extent to which they involve genetic ancestry change is still poorly understood....