The Language Instinct

In this book, Steven Pinker argues that language is an innate human ability, produced by evolution to solve the problem of communication among social hunter-gatherers.

He explains how language works, how children learn it, how it changes, and how the brain computes it.

Pinker refutes common ideas such as the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis and the notion that language is a human invention.

He supports his argument with examples from linguistics, psychology, and popular culture, emphasizing that language is a specialized 'mental module' rather than a mark of advanced intelligence.

The book also includes updates on advances in the science of language since its initial publication.