conference notice: Evolution of Language

[Ruth Tincoff]

We apologize if you receive multiple notices of this conference:


**4th International Conference on the EVOLUTION OF LANGUAGE**
     March 27-30 at the Harvard University Science Center


A major four-day conference on the evolution of language will be held at
Harvard University March 27-30.  This important intellectual event will
feature an unprecedented intersection of disciplines.  World-renowned
leaders in linguistics (Noam Chomsky, Ray Jackendoff), evolutionary
biology (Marc Hauser, Amotz Zahavi), neuroscience (David Caplan), speech
science (Philip Lieberman, Michael Studdert-Kennedy), computer modeling
(Martin Nowak, Partha Niyogi) and anthropology (Leslie Aiello) will
present their views on the evolution of the most fundamental and unusual
trait of our species: spoken language.  A special one-day session on the
evolution of costly signaling and honest communication will focus on
difficulties posed for evolutionary biology by human language (Mar 29).
The conference will culminate in a roundtable discussion between Noam
Chomsky, Marc Hauser and Michael Studdert-Kennedy concerning the future
integration of biology and linguistics (Saturday Mar 30).

The conference is open to registered participants only, but any interested
parties can register.  Pre-registration is necessary to ensure receiving
the conference proceedings, although payment can be accepted upon arrival.
Discounts on travel to Boston and on housing in Harvard Square are
available.

For more information and a complete schedule, see the web site at:
http://www.ling.ed.ac.uk/evolang2002
(or do a Google search on "evolution of language")

The local organizer of the conference is Tecumseh Fitch, Dept. of
Psychology, Harvard University.