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abstract: |-2
This paper amplifies and at certain points extends the account of the motor
theory given previously. The semantic, syntactic and phonetic structures of
language developed on the basis of a complex pre-existing system. More
specifically, the structures of language were a transfer from or a calque of
the structures of the pre-existing motor system. The motor system had
developed in terms of neural motor programs controlling the different
categories of movement. The motor programs were formed from a limited set of
basic subroutines which in combination could be used to produce an open-ended
and essentially infinite range of actions. The development of language made
use of these pre-existing subroutines into extended programs. By way of the
motor patterning imposed on the anatomical features which went to form the
articulatory system, language emerged as an external physical expression of
the physiological and neurological basis for movement control. Movement
control was already necessarily closely integrated with the parallel system
for the processing and control of perception. Language thus acquired the
ability to express the range and inter-relations of perceptual content.
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creators_name:
- family: Allott
given: Robin
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date: 1991
date_type: published
datestamp: 2003-11-14
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editors_name:
- family: von Raffler-Engel
given: Walburga
honourific: ''
lineage: ''
- family: Wind
given: Jan
honourific: ''
lineage: ''
- family: Jonker
given: Abraham
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keywords: 'language origin, mosaic evolution, speech sounds, motor programs, motor control robotic, cross-modal, articulation'
lastmod: 2011-03-11 08:55:24
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pagerange: 123-157
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publication: Studies in Language Origins Volume 2
publisher: John Benjamins
refereed: FALSE
referencetext: |2
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status_changed: 2007-09-12 16:49:38
subjects:
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- behav-neuro-sci
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title: The motor theory of language
type: bookchapter
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