Evolving Language – The origin and future of language
Language is the ability that distinguishes humans from all other animal species. Despite this central importance of language to being human, we know very little about its evolutionary origins. How and why did humans acquire this ability? What did our language evolve from? And how is it changing today under the influence of digital media?
The National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) “Evolving Language” aims to answer these questions. To this end, it has launched a series of research projects, which we present in the context of Scientifica. Have you ever wondered, for example, what linguistic and communicative abilities monkeys and meerkats share with us humans? Have you ever thought about how emotions can play a role in the linguistic interaction between machines and humans? Or are you interested in computer programs that allow the targeted therapy of speech disorders? At our exhibition booths, we provide answers to these and other questions in an interactive and playful way.
