Bibliographie de Jean-Louis Dessalles
Jean-Louis Dessalles's List of Publications



Theme - Topic :

Evolution et émergence de la communication
Evolutionary emergence of communication


I developed several arguments to show that human communication did not emerge as a form of cooperation. I am suggesting that the biological function of human language is to display qualities that are sought after when choosing profitable coalition partners. The ability to be relevant would be a crucial quality in the particular politics of our species. The consistency of the idea is tested through mathematical modelling and computer simulation.

  • The real mystery about language - Comment on 'Modeling The Cultural Evolution of Language' by Luc Steels
    Dessalles, J-L. (2011).
    Physics of life reviews 8(4), in press

  • Pragmatics and evolution
    Dessalles, J-L. (2011).
    In: P. C. Hogan (Ed), The Cambridge encyclopedia of the language sciences. Cambridge University Press, 649-651

  • Reasoning as a lie detection device (Commentary on Mercier and Sperber:'Why do humans reason? Arguments for an argumentative theory')
    Dessalles, J-L. (2011).
    Behavioral and Brain Sciences 34(2), 76-77

  • Parler pour exister
    Dessalles, J-L. (2011).
    Sciences humaines 224, 45-47

  • Providing information can be a stable non-cooperative evolutionary strategy
    Dessalles, J-L. (2010).
    Paris: Technical Report Telecom ParisTech 2010D025

  • Have you anything unexpected to say? The human propensity to communicate surprise and its role in the emergence of language
    Dessalles, J-L. (2010).
    In: A. D. M. Smith, M. Schouwstra & et al. (Eds), The evolution of language - Proceedings of the 8th International Conference (Evolang8 - Utrecht). Singapore: World Scientific, 99-106

  • Symposium on J.-L. Dessalles's Why we Talk
    Dessalles, J-L., Machery E. & et al. (2010).
    Biology and philosophy 25(5), 851-901

  • Comment le langage est venu à l'homme
    Dessalles, J-L. (2010).
    La Recherche 445, 64-65

  • From metonymy to syntax in the communication of events
    Dessalles, J-L. (2010).
    In: M. A. Arbib & D. Bickerton (Eds), The emergence of protolanguage - Holophrasis vs compositionality. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Comp., 51-65

  • L'émergence du langage au cours de l'évolution
    Dessalles, J-L. (2010).
    In: M. Banniard & D. Philps (Eds), La fabrique du signe - Linguistique de l'émergence. Toulouse: Presses Universitaires du Mirail, 22-33

  • Et si la coopération était un mythe ? Un pilier des sciences sociales ébranlé par la simulation
    Dessalles, J-L. (2010).
    Nouvelles perspectives en sciences sociales 5(2), 79-89

  • Aux sources du langage
    Dessalles, J-L. (2010).
    In: J-F. Dortier (Ed), Le langage. Auxerre: Editions Sciences Humaines, 126-135

  • Why we talk - The evolutionary origins of language (2nd edition)
    Dessalles, J-L. (2009).
    Oxford: Oxford University Press

  • Une anomalie de l'évolution : le langage
    Dessalles, J-L. (2009).
    In: T. Heams, P. Huneman & et al. (Eds), Les mondes darwiniens - L'évolution de l'évolution. Paris: Editions Syllepse, 863-882

  • Préface
    Dessalles, J-L. (2009).
    In: D. Bickerton (Ed), La langue d'Adam. Paris: Dunod, ed. 2010, v-ix

  • Why is language well-designed for communication? (Commentary on Christiansen and Chater: 'Language as shaped by the brain')
    Dessalles, J-L. (2008).
    Behavioral and Brain Sciences 31(5), 518-519

  • From metonymy to syntax in the communication of events
    Dessalles, J-L. (2008).
    Interaction Studies 9(1), 51-65

  • Spontaneous narrative behaviour in homo sapiens: how does it benefit to speakers?
    Dessalles, J-L. (2008).
    In: A. D. M. Smith, K. Smith & R. Ferrer i Cancho (Eds), The evolution of language - Proceedings of the 7th International Conference (Evolang7 - Barcelona). Singapore: World Scientific, 91-98

  • L'altruisme, enfant de la guerre ?
    Dessalles, J-L. (2008).
    Cerveau & Psycho 26, 24-28

  • Why we talk - The evolutionary origins of language (English edition of 'Aux origines du langage')
    Dessalles, J-L. (2007).
    Oxford: Oxford University Press

  • Storing events to retell them (Commentary on Suddendorf and Corballis: 'The evolution of foresight')
    Dessalles, J-L. (2007).
    Behavioral and Brain Sciences 30(3), 321-322

  • Humans and apes make friends differently: Implications for the evolutionary emergence of language
    Dessalles, J-L. (2007).
    In: P. M. Kappeler & M. Schwibbe (Eds), Primate Behavior and human universals - Abstracts of the 6th Göttinger Freilandtage. Göttingen: Primate Report, 24-25

  • Generalised signalling: a possible solution to the paradox of language
    Dessalles, J-L. (2006).
    In: A. Cangelosi, A. D. M. Smith & K. Smith (Eds), The evolution of language. Singapore: World Scientific, 75-82

  • Les origines du langage
    Dessalles, J-L., Picq P. & Victorri B. (Eds) (2006).
    Paris: Editions Le Pommier

  • Du protolangage au langage : modèle d'une transition
    Dessalles, J-L. (2006).
    Marges linguistiques 11, 142-152

  • Ethologie du langage
    Dessalles, J-L. (2006).
    In: J-L. Dessalles, P. Picq & B. Victorri (Eds), Les origines du langage. Paris: Editions Le Pommier, 131-190

  • Le langage humain à la lumière de l'évolution
    Dessalles, J-L. (2006).
    In: JEP 2006: Actes des XXVIes journées d'étude sur la parole. Dinard, France: AFCP - IRISA - ISCA, 17-23

  • From protolanguage to language: model of a transition
    Dessalles, J-L. (2006).
    Marges linguistiques 11, 142-152

  • Human language in the light of evolution
    Dessalles, J-L. (2006).
    In: JEP 2006: Actes des XXVIes journées d'étude sur la parole. Dinard, France: AFCP - IRISA - ISCA, 17-23

  • Interview
    Lafitte-Certa, P., Dessalles J-L. & Picq P. (2006).
    Europe 1, 22.06.2006

  • Aux sources du langage
    Dessalles, J-L. (2005).
    Sciences humaines Grands Dossiers(1), 44-49

  • Communication among selfish agents: From cooperation to display
    Dessalles, J-L. (2005).
    In: Proceedings of the 3rd Lake Arrowhead Conference on Human Complex Systems. Los Angeles: University of California Los Angeles

  • Criteria for coalition formation
    Dessalles, J-L. (2005).
    In: Proceedings of the European Conference on Complex Systems (ECCS-05). Paris, 189-190

  • Semantic abilities evolved as well - Electronic commentary on M. Arbib: 'From monkey-like action recognition to human language'
    Dessalles, J-L. & Ghadakpour L. (2005).
    Behavioral and Brain Sciences 28(2)

  • Language as an isolated niche
    Dessalles, J-L. (2004).
    In: Abstracts of the International Conference on the Evolution of Language. Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 10

  • Débat sur 'Les origines du langage'
    Clarini, J., Dessalles J-L. & et al. (2004).
    France Culture - 24.02.2004

  • More syntax, less inference - Commentary on G. Origgi and D. Sperber: 'A pragmatic perspective on the evolution of language and languages'
    Dessalles, J-L. (2004).
    In: Coevolution of Language and Theory of Mind. Interdisciplines: electronic conference

  • About the adaptiveness of syntactic recursion - Commentary on F. Newmeyer: 'Cognitive and functional factors in the evolution of grammar'
    Dessalles, J-L. (2004).
    In: Coevolution of Language and Theory of Mind. Interdisciplines: electronic conference

  • Non-kin altruism and the evolutionary emergence of human language
    Dessalles, J-L. (2003).
    In: Abstracts of the Conference 'Human Biology: an Evolutionary Perspective'. Montpellier: Université de Montpellier 2

  • Les beaux parleurs : un paradoxe de l'évolution
    Dessalles, J-L. (2003).
    Cerveau & Psycho 4, 16-17

  • Coalition factor in the evolution of non-kin altruism
    Dessalles, J-L. (2002).
    In: F. Schweitzer (Ed), Modeling Complexity in Economic and Social Systems. Singapour: World Scientific, 323-353

  • The problematic transition from specific competences to general competence - Commentary on Peter Carruthers: 'The cognitive functions of language'
    Hurford, J. R. & Dessalles J-L. (2002).
    Behavioral and Brain Sciences 25(6), 690-691

  • The co-evolution of language and friendship
    Dessalles, J-L. & Ghadakpour L. (2002).
    In: Abstracts of the International Conference on the Evolution of Language. Cambridge, MA: University of Harvard, 37

  • Nous parlons car nous sommes une espèce politique - Interview
    Fléaux, R. & Dessalles J-L. (2002).
    Sciences et Avenir 662, 107

  • L'origine politique du langage
    Dessalles, J-L. (2001).
    La Recherche 341, 31-35

  • The role of language in the formation of large coalitions
    Dessalles, J-L. (2001).
    In: M. Hausberger (Ed), Abstracts of the Conference 'Social Life and Communication: An Element of Understanding in the Evolution of Language ?'. Rennes: Université de Rennes 1, 33-34

  • Nous parlons car nous sommes une espèce politique - Interview
    Levisalles, N. & Dessalles J-L. (2001).
    Libération, 21.07.2001

  • Interview
    Dessalles, J-L. (2001).
    Radio-France International - 02.04.2001

  • Homo eructus: les préhistoriens cherchent la trace du premier langage - Interview
    Levisalles, N. & Dessalles J-L. (2001).
    Libération, 22.01.2001

  • Qualia and spandrels: an engineering perspective
    Dessalles, J-L. (2001).
    Paris: Technical Report ENST 2001-D-012

  • Aux origines du langage : Une histoire naturelle de la parole
    Dessalles, J-L. (2000).
    Paris: Hermès-science

  • Language and hominid politics
    Dessalles, J-L. (2000).
    In: C. Knight, M. Studdert-Kennedy & J. R. Hurford (Eds), The evolutionary emergence of language: social function and the origins of linguistic form. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 62-79

  • Two stages in the evolution of language use
    Dessalles, J-L. (2000).
    In: J-L. Dessalles & L. Ghadakpour (Eds), Proceedings of the International Conference on the Evolution of Language. Paris: ENST, 77-80

  • Proceedings of the International Conference on the Evolution of Language
    Dessalles, J-L. & Ghadakpour L. (Eds) (2000).
    Paris: ENST

  • Le protolangage : un portrait robot de la communication de nos ancêtres
    Dessalles, J-L. (2000).
    In: J-L. Dessalles (Ed), Evolution et cognition - Actes de la journée scientifique de l'Association pour la Recherche Cognitive. Paris: ENST, 19-24

  • Evolution et cognition - Actes de la journée scientifique de l'Association pour la Recherche Cognitive
    Dessalles, J-L. (Ed) (2000).
    Paris: ENST

  • La langue d'homo erectus
    Dessalles, J-L. (2000).
    Sciences et Avenir hors-série 125, 16-21

  • Ce que parler veut dire - Interview
    O'Dy, S. & Dessalles J-L. (2000).
    L'Express 2543, 57

  • Coalition factor in the evolution of non-kin altruism
    Dessalles, J-L. (1999).
    Advances in Complex Systems 2(2), 143-172

  • Altruism, status, and the origin of relevance
    Dessalles, J-L. (1998).
    In: J. R. Hurford, M. Studdert-Kennedy & C. Knight (Eds), Approaches to the evolution of language: Social and cognitive bases. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 130-147

  • Linguistic relevance in hominid politics
    Dessalles, J-L. (1998).
    In: C. Knight (Ed), Abstracts of the International Conference on the Evolution of Language. London: University of East London, 30

  • L'ordinateur génétique
    Dessalles, J-L. (1996).
    Paris: Hermès

  • Genetic constraints on the evolution of human communication
    Dessalles, J-L. (1996).
    In: J. R. Hurford (Ed), Abstracts of the International Conference on the Evolution of Language. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh, 18

  • Contraintes sur l'évolution naturelle de la communication
    Dessalles, J-L. (1995).
    In: G. Theraulaz, J-L. Dessalles & et al. (Eds), Evolution et organisation: hasard et contraintes dans la genèse des formes collectives - Actes des journées de Rochebrune. Paris: ENST, 113-118

  • Biomimetic use of genetic algorithms
    Dessalles, J-L. (1992).
    In: R. Männer & B. Manderick (Eds), Proceedings of the Conference on Parallel Problem Solving from Nature. Amsterdam: North-Holland, 127-135

  • Biomimétisme des algorithmes génétiques
    Dessalles, J-L. (1992).
    In: P. Bourgine (Ed), Apprentissage, évolution, adaptation - Actes des journées de Rochebrune. Megève: AFCET, 14-21