Origin of Language Essay

lyric is a smasheds of communication that is made up of signs, symbols, and sounds or a combination of them. Signs represent whateverthing else considerle aroma and coffee, scent and flower, dark clouds and rain. Symbols atomic number 18 wrangle we use to denote a thing or a being, much(prenominal) as domain to mean person, dog to list to an animal. Sounds are vocal emissions ilk laughter, sobbing, and groans suggestive of joy, sorrow, and pain. A more than complex organise of phraseology is its organized system of semantics, syntax and phonetics. intercommunicate quarrel is exclusive to humans.Language in any(prenominal) cultivate continues to draw the interests of linguistic scientists, researchers, scientists and academicians, especially in the battleground of its showtime. there are references in the Bible more or less wording and communication. As earlier as the cartridge holder of Adam and Eve, there was already some mixed bag of communication and sp eech between God and the some(prenominal) of them. In the temptation of Eve, the serpent communicated with her. thither was barely one language between Noah and his family. In the tug of Babel, God was displeased with the people who refused to obey his summons for them to spread issue across the earth and so He gave them different languages.In the end they were pressure to disperse to all corners of the world. This explains the why individually geographical location hold back their own language. (Harub, 2003). Two contradicting theories on the origin of language are the surmise of lifelike Selection and the Exaptation speculation. The Exaptation speculation simply put is when a eubstance part is used for another role other than for which it was originally intended. An example of this conjecture is the feathers of a bird which is basically used to cover its be further later is made to glide and ensnare insects with.The brain processes from its cognitive structures were used by pre-historic ancestors to bleed and gather food. Language depends on cognitive processes and could experience been possibly exapted in much the same stylus as the feathers. The Natural Selection Theory on the other hand bequeaths that our language skills whitethorn deplete been from the brain structures that our ancestors may live with possessed in their time. Brains lay down two neural pathways used for language and cognition. Humans use the ventral stream or pathway for linguistics. While both humans and non-humans, such as the chimps, possess the same neural constitution it is only the humans who have language. Cromm, 2003). Another theory of origin of language is the Theory of a Proto-Language.There are some(prenominal) represents in this theory (1) the gesture-prior to-sound interpret where body language is combined with sound. An example would be the index finger pressed on the lips with a hush sound, is a request to be quiet. (2) words-prior to-senten ce stage where single words are weded with others to form a sentence and convey a conceit or idea. I / have / three / rubor / apples are five separate words that connect to form a sentence and convey the apprehension about possessing three red fruits. 3) phrases-prior to-words stage is where a phrase with a single idea and each word is taken apart individually.An example is a high and majestic mountain. Individual words are high / majestic / mountain. The Proto-Language is original, distinct and has no motive language. (AMNH, 2008). Different linguists each had their own theories. Jean Aitchison, informant of The Seeds of Speech believed that physiologically, the human brain which had grown larger in size than his primate ancestors, made man cap adapted of developing speech and language.John McCrone who support the Evolution Theory of Language, was of the opinion that man was able to speak because they descended from the apes who themselves were able to speak when they foun d complete food to feed their enormous brains. Michael Corballis in his phonograph record From Hand to Mouth The Origin of Landscape theorized that it was a gradual subjoin for language, beginning with gesturing from the apes. With the bipedal hominids language evolved to a more complex body movement. sentence structure and melodic sounds were the later developments with the emergence of the larger-brained homos.With the homo sapiens it was a combination of gestures and vocals, the gestures as enhancement and not as foundation. Carl Zimmer, another evolutionist, emphasized that the timeline of the origin and development of language can not be specifically traced because human skeletons leave very few earthshaking clues. Many evolutionists maintain that languages today must have originated from only one ancient language characterized by different animal grunts and sounds. The development of language was a natural and not an intentional process.Noam Chromsky the eminent linguist from MIT, explained that different languages that we have now came from a super C and universal language and that the human brains has a meliorate and exclusive structure for language. (Harub, 2003). There are several other theories on the origin of language Theory 1, it may have begun with the use of ordinary symbols to refer to significant objects. A scoop of earth refers to the land, a leaf to the tree, a drop of water to the rain. Theory 2, it may have originated from hand and body movements. is palm on ones heart direction me or I, pointing at whatever object center that object. Theory 3, it may have come from the imitation of the sounds of nature, like the splash of water, yawl of the wind, the bark of the dog, Theory 4, it may have been from the affective sounds of natural instinct and reaction, like grrr from anger, ahhh for satisfaction or comprehension, hmmm for agreement. Theory 6, it may have been because of the use of sounds to accommodate to intended meanings, l ike long vowel sounds of o for moon and long e for creek, tree, sea.Theory 7, it may have originated from the grunts due to heavy loads, rhythmic monotones of organize accompanied by gestures seeking assistance, like hand signals waving towards the one asking help as he makes the repetitive sounds of ugh ugh ugh. Theory 8, it may have been from words that were almost musical, uttered in cooing such as uhuhmm hmmm hummm hmmm, and laughter like hahahaha, hahahaaa. Theory 8, it came from sounds to project or make known ones presence as in yahooo, or to grouse out for help as in heyyy.Theory 9, it originated from magical chants from religious rituals, similar to the Maori wish of close health (kia ora ra) and welcome (haere mai). Theory 10, it was an invention of some ancestors when they assigned certain sounds to mean certain things, crush of the drums to gather people. (Boeree, 2003). Michael C. Corballis made note of the stages of development of language. The earlier began over 6 million years ago with the apes and their simple body language as their means of communicating. This developed into a more complicated body gestures with the hominids.During this period sounds were used only in utmost(a) cases as in highly emotional cries and regret calls. 5 million years back, a more sophisticated form of hand gestures by the early hominids were used. 2 million years ago, researches found an increase in the brain size of the homos believed to be the close of the humans higher development and readiness in language. Vocals became permanent in communication and gestures were a good part of grammar. 100,000 years ago, speaking was in its fully developed stage that it became the main means of communication by homo sapiens.Gesturing was still in use but only as an embellishment. In the modern times with telecommunications technology verbal language become routine and common. It is interesting to note that in the advent of modern technology, with the shift from man ual signals to verbalise language, man is able to use his hands to exert and his mind and vocals to communicate. (cited in Science Week, 2004). The search for the origin of language remains to be a go on quest for scholars. Researches always lead to the theory of evolution. There is no way to know exactly when language began and where language came from.Scientific evidences such as fossils, DNA, comparative studies on animals and ancient languages can only provide clues but not enough traces. For a while, in 1866 the Society of Paris, the prominent academic language wreak of the era, had given up in finding out more about languages origin. It was taken as a retreat from the battle but not for long. To this day, forward thinkers such as the evolutionists are convinced that they must find convincing proof in the upcoming theories that should attempt to answer the call into question on the origin of language.