Evolution of Communicative Flexibility: Complexity, Creativity, and Adaptability in Human and Animal Communication »

D. Kimbrough Oller is Professor and Plough Chair of Excellence in the School of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Memphis and an external faculty member of the Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Altenberg, Austria. He is coeditor, with Ulrike Griebel, of Evolution of Communications Systems: A Comparative Approach (MIT Press, 2004).

Ulrike Griebel is an adjunct faculty member of the Department of Biology at the University of Memphis. Oller and a member of the Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Altenberg, Austria. He is coeditor, with D. Kimbrough Oller of Evolution of Communications Systems: A Comparative Approach (MIT Press, 2004).

Experts investigate communicative flexibility (in both form and usage of signals) as the foundation of the evolution of complex communication systems, including human language.

I Introduction 1

1 Signal and Functional Flexibility in the Emergence of Communication Systems: The Editors' Introduction D. Kimbrough Oller Oller, D. Kimbrough Ulrike Griebel Griebel, Ulrike 3

II Cross-Species Perspectives on Forces and Patterns of Flexibility in Communication 7

2 Evolutionary Forces Favoring Communicative Flexibility Ulrike Griebel Griebel, Ulrike D. Kimbrough Oiler Oiler, D. Kimbrough 9

3 Vocal Learning in Mammals with Special Emphasis on Pinnipeds Ronald J. Schusterman Schusterman, Ronald J. 41

4 Contextually Flexible Communication in Nonhuman Primates Charles T. Snowdon Snowdon, Charles T. 71

5 Constraints in Primate Vocal Production Kurt Hammerschmidt Hammerschmidt, Kurt Julia Fischer Fischer, Julia 93

6 Contextual Sensitivity and Bird Song: A Basis for Social Life Marline Hausberger Hausberger, Marline Laurence Henry Henry, Laurence Benoit Teste Teste, Benoit Stephanie Barbu Barbu, Stephanie 121

III The Role of Flexibility and Communicative Complexity in the Evolution of Language 139

7 Contextual Flexibility in Infant Vocal Development and the Earliest Steps in the Evolution of Language D. Kimbrough Oller Oller, D. Kimbrough Ulrike Griebel Griebel, Ulrike 141

8 Scaffolds for Babbling: Innateness and Learning in the Emergence of Contexually Flexible Vocal Production in Human Infants Michael J. Owren Owren, Michael J. Michael H. Goldstein Goldstein, Michael H. 169

9 Cognitive Precursors to Language Brian MacWhinney MacWhinney, Brian 193

10 Language and Niche Construction Kim Sterelny Sterelny, Kim 215

IV Underpinnings of Communicative Control: Foundations for Flexible Communication 233

11 How Apes Use Gestures: TheIssue of Flexibility Josep Call Call, Josep 235

12 The Role of Play in the Evolution and Ontogeny of Contextually Flexible Communication Stan Kuczaj Kuczaj, Stan Radhika Makecha Makecha, Radhika 253

V Modeling of the Emergence of Complexity and Flexibility in Communication 279

13 Detection and Estimation of Complexity and Contextual Flexibility in Nonhuman Animal Communication Brenda McCowan McCowan, Brenda Laurance Doyle Doyle, Laurance Allison B. Kaufman Kaufman, Allison B. Sean Hanser Hanser, Sean Curt Burgess Burgess, Curt 281

14 The Evolution of Flexibility in Bird Song Robert F. Lachlan Lachlan, Robert F. 305

15 Development and Evolution of Speech Sound Categories: Principles and Models Gert Westermann Westermann, Gert 327

Index 349