 James Burnett, Lord Monboddo

James Burnett, Lord Monboddo (1714–1799) was a Scottish judge, philosopher, and a prominent figure of the Scottish Enlightenment. He is best known for his work in the fields of anthropology and the philosophy of language. Monboddo is particularly recognized for his theories regarding the origin of language and his ideas about humanity's development over time. Lord Monboddo argued that language was a uniquely human trait that developed from primitive forms of communication.