This book discusses the scope and development of the science of language evolution - a newly emergent field that investigates the origin of language. The book is addressed to audiences who are not professionally involved in science and presents the problems of language origins together with introductory information on such topics as the theory of evolution, elements of linguistic theory, the neural infrastructure of language or the signalling theory.

The science of language evolution appeared at the end of the last century but topically belongs to language origins - the domain of investigation that is concerned with the beginnings and diversification of language. Language evolution as a research area contrasts with the antiquity of language origins, which can be traced back to the earliest forms of traditional reflection. Language evolution emphasises its scientific orientation, whereas throughout most of its history language origins constituted a complex mixture of mythology, philosophy of language, as well as religiously and scientifically inspired speculation. This work is the first book-long attempt to document the whole history of language origins and situate language evolution in this wide intellectual context.

This book offers a collection of papers that, taken jointly, show the academic potential of English Studies - its most contemporary lines of investigation seen against the area's traditional concerns. The chapters illustrate a cross section of research in English literature, linguistics, language teaching and translation studies - disciplines traditionally pursued at Departments of English. They also show an expansion of the core philological lines of research into other areas of knowledge, such as semiotics or comparative and cognitive studies. The book thus makes a strong case that the philological ethos, reflected in the Polish translation of "English Studies" as filologia angielska, still constitutes a valuable academic formula.