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Nov 14, 2026
The Revolutionary Origins of Language
Summary
Speech is unprecedented in the natural world. Yet human infants can learn the grammar of their native tongue so quickly, it is as if they knew the basics already. How did such a unique ability evolve, and what does it reveal about the nature of our species? The story of the social and sexual revolution responsible for the emergence of our most prized skill—the ability to speak.
Drawing on evolutionary and social anthropology, behavioural ecology, archaeology, and linguistics, Professors Chris Knight and Jerome Lewis unearth the political and social origins of our capacity to speak. What they discover points to the revolutionary role played by women at every stage. It seems that formidable coalitions of women used laughter, song, and dance to restrain the male potential for violence. In so doing, women established extraordinary levels of community-wide trust—precisely what was needed for linguistic creativity to flourish.
The Revolutionary Origins of Language (Yale UP, 2026) is a bold and surprising assessment of the complex conditions which produced our most prized skill.
This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda’s interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.
Your Host
Miranda Melcher
Dr. Miranda Melcher (Ph.D. in Defense Studies from Kings College London) is the host of New Books with Miranda Melcher where she interviews authors on a wide range of books related to history and politics.
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