What good is language?

Q450/B490

• Some possible functions
  • Communication
  • Thought
  • "Grooming"
• Other properties
  • Learning and differences between languages
  • Comprehension and production
  • Two levels of structure: phonology and grammar
  • "Obligatory" morphology: English plural
  • Arbitrariness

How could language have evolved?

How could a relatively small difference in behavior (resulting from genetic or cultural variation) lead to reproductive advantage for the population with the language-like behavior?