The link between evolution and language | Richard Dawkins

In this episode of TED Talks Daily, host Elise Hu introduces a conversation between evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and linguist John McWhorter. They explore parallels between language evolution and biological evolution, discussing concepts like excess in language versus extravagant traits like a peacock's tail, the linguistic equivalent of junk DNA, and how dialects and languages diverge similarly to species and subspecies. They also delve into the roles of drift and selection in language change, questioning whether language evolution is more random than creature change. Dawkins challenges the notion of a pure Proto-Indo-European language, suggesting it was likely a hybrid, sparking a discussion about the nature of language mixing and common ancestry.