The Language Puzzle: Read an excerpt from a book on the history of the spoken word

Did early humans have rules for how words could be strung together? What impact did the ability to talk have on brains, behaviour and social evolution?

We have a love of words. Think crosswords, Scrabble and texting. Think chatting to a friend, listening to a story, sharing a joke or hearing a speech by the orator of your choice – Churchill, Obama or Mandela. Moreover, we are never satisfied with the words we have, frequently changing their meanings and inventing new ones. Think tablets, clouds and surfing. Where do you keep all of those words? How do you know which ones to use, and how to