Darwin-L Message Log 1:254 (September 1993)

Academic Discussion on the History and Theory of the Historical Sciences

This is one message from the Archives of Darwin-L (1993–1997), a professional discussion group on the history and theory of the historical sciences.

Note: Additional publications on evolution and the historical sciences by the Darwin-L list owner are available on SSRN.

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<1:254>From PICARD@Vax2.Concordia.CA  Wed Sep 29 08:55:28 1993

Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1993 09:59:50 -0500 (EST)
From: MARC PICARD <PICARD@Vax2.Concordia.CA>
Subject: Re: Heritability and cultural evolution
To: darwin-l@ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu

	Since linguistic evolution seems to be in the air these days, I thought
non-linguists might be interested in a book which purports to be "non-technical
in style and accessible to the reader with no previous knowledge of linguistics
"This is Jean Aitcheson's LANGUAGE CHANGE: PROGRESS OR DECAY? (Cambridge
University Press, 1991). Here's the gist of it:

"This book gives a lucid and up-to-date overview of language change.  It
discusses where our evidence about language change comes from, why and how
changes happen, and why and how languages begin and end.  It considers not only
changes which occurred many years ago, but also those currently in progress.
It does this within the framework of one central question - is language change
a symptom of progress or decay?  It concludes that language is neither
progressing nor decaying, but that an understanding of the factors causing
change is essential for anyone involved with language alteration."
Marc Picard

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