The Origin of Language

‘A rigorous examination of the evolution of human communication. Compelling, thought provoking and hugely entertaining. I learned even as I laughed.’ – Ashley Ward, biologist and author of The Social Lives of Animals and Sensational‘Beautiful, playful and all-encompassing. Beekman elegantly delves into that most elusive and tantalizing aspect of our evolution: language. On every page there’s something that makes you smile and think, “I didn’t know that!”’ – Menno Schilthuizen, author of Darwin Comes to Town‘With a knack for making complex topics accessible and interesting, Beekman guides us through human evolution, with stops along the way to explain why we walk upright and why babies are cute but koalas are boring. She persuasively argues for childcare as the linchpin in the evolution of our ability to speak, and shows how language, that extraordinary human accomplishment, engages in an exquisite to-and-fro with the brain.’ – Marlene Zuk, author of Paleofantasy‘Beekman uncovers the evolutionary mysteries behind human speech in this riveting exploration of our linguistic past. As artificial intelligence reshapes communication, understanding the deep roots of human language has never been more crucial. A must-read for anyone seeking essential insights to navigate our rapidly evolving technological future.’ – Dana Suskind, author of 30 Million Words‘A tour de force. At its core it seeks to explain the origin of language. But, by linking our patterns of sociality, behaviour, development and communication it is a celebration of humanity’s origins. Reading Madeleine Beekman’s book, you will never look at babies – and their utterances – the same way ever again.’ – Neil Shubin, evolutionary biologist and author of Your Inner Fish‘An entertaining and enlightening examination of the roots of speech.’ * Kirkus Reviews *

Madeleine Beekman is professor of evolutionary biology and behavioral ecology emerita at the University of Sydney, Australia, Editor-in-Chief of Insectes Sociaux, and board member of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, Biological Sciences. Madeleine Beekman lives in Australia’s northern tropical rainforest with her husband where she can observe cassowaries from her office. She has two adult daughters.