Linguistics must again concentrate on the evolutionary nature of language, so that language models are more realistic with respect to human natural languages and have a greater explanatory force. Multi-agent systems are proposed as a possible route to develop such evolutionary models and an example is given of a concrete experiment in the origins and evolution of word-meaning based on a multi-agent approach. Official reference: Steels, L (1999) The puzzle of evolution. In: Kognitionswissenschaft, Vol 8 No 4.