INTRODUCTION TO LINGUISTICS

UNIT 1
LESSON 1: The Origins/ Evolution of the English Language

OBJECTIVES: At the end of the unit, you must have:

1. Enumerated the language origins,
2. Differentiated the different types of theories,
3. Discussed the importance of knowing the language origins.

CONTENT

LANGUAGE ORIGINS
1. The Divine Source
1- The Divine Source
creature that was the name thereof) }

In the bible, God created Adam and whatsoever Adam called every living
creature that was the name thereof. In Hindu tradition, language came from
Sarasvati, wife of Brahma, creator of universe. In most religions, there appears to be a
divine source who provides humans with language.

• creature that was the name thereof) }

However according to Yule (2006), if humans language emanated from a
divine source, people have no way of reconstructing the original language especially

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given the events in a city called Babel, “because the Lord did there confounded the
language of all the earth,” as described in Genesis 11:9.

Few experiments had been conducted to discover the origin of language. The
basic idea of the theory is that: “If infants were allowed to grow up without hearing
any language, then they would spontaneously begin using the original God-given
language.

• idea of the theory is that: “ If infants were allowed to grow up

without hearing any
• language, then they would spontaneously begin using the original
God given
• language”. The Greek historian Herodotus mentioned Psamtik as an
example. During his travel to Egypt, Herodotus heard Psammetichus
(“Psamtik”) sought to discover the origin of language by conducting an
experiment with two children. Allegedly he gave two newborn babies to a
shepherd, with the instructions that no one should speak to them, but that
the shepherd should feed and care for them while listening to determine their
first words.
• Egypt, Herodotus heard that Psammetichus ("Psamṯik") sought to
discover the origin
• of language by conducting an experiment with two children. Allegedly
he gave two
• newborn babies to a shepherd, with the instructions that no one should
speak to them,
• but that the shepherd should feed and care for them while listening to
determine their
• first words.

• people. When one of the children cried "βηκοs" (bèkos), the shepherd
concluded that
• the word was Phrygian because that was the sound of the Phrygian word for
"bread."
• Thus, they concluded that the Phrygians were an older people than the
Egyptians, and
• that Phrygian was the original language of men. The Phrygian language /
ˈfrɪdʒiən/ was
• the Indo-European language of the Phrygians, spoken in Asia Minor during
Classical
• Antiquity (2nd millennium BC to 5th century AD).
King James the Fourth of Scotland carried out an experiment and discovered
that children spoke Hebrew. But those living in isolation without contact with human
speech grew up with no language at all. Thus, the divine source of language could not
be confirmed by this experiment.

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 2. The Natural Sound Source

• children spoke Hebrew. The Divine Source of Language could not be

confirmed.

• 2- The Natural Sound Source

Primitive words could have been imitations of the natural sounds which early
men and women heard around them. Examples: cuckoo, splash, bang, and boom. This
view has been called “bow-wow theory” of language origin. According to this theory,
the earliest form of language arose as a result of man’s attempt to imitate natural
sounds such as the ones of animals. And these words echoing natural sounds are called
“Onomatopoeic words.”
• and women heard around them “ Examples: cuckoo, splash, bang,
and boom. This
• view has been called “bow-wow theory” of language origin and these
words echoing
• natural sounds are called “onomatopoeic words”.
A similar suggestion: “Pooh-Pooh theory” holds further that earliest linguistic
utterances, interjections or exclamations and the original sounds of language came
from natural and instinctive cries of emotions of pain, fear, anger and joy. Examples:
Ouch!, Ah…

• emotion such as pain, anger and joy. Examples: Ouch! , Ah….

The fact that all modern languages have some words with pronunciation that
seems to echo natural occurring sounds could be used to support this theory.

3. The Social Interaction Source

• echo naturally occurring sounds could be used to support this theory.

• 3- The Social Interaction Source (Yo-he-ho Theory)

The sounds of a person involved in physical effort could be the source of our
language, especially when that physical effort involved several people and had to be
coordinated. The importance of “yo-he-ho theory” is that it takes the development of
human language in some social context. According to this theory, language arose from
the noise made by a group of men engaged in joint physical labor like moving a tree
trunk or lifting a rock.
• especially when that physical effort involved several people and had to be
coordinated.
• The importance of yo-he-ho theory is that it places the development of
human

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• language in some SOCIAL CONTEXT.
Early people lived in groups. Groups offered better protection from attack.
Since groups are social organization, communication is required and so human sounds
are produced.

The Contact theory sees the origin of language in man’s instinctive need for
contact with his fellows. Accordingly, language grew in several stages. At first, contact
sound was made which was not communicative but merely expressive of one’s need for
contact with his fellows (Sharma, 2005).

The Musical theory sees the origin of language and music. It was Otto
Jesperson who put forward this theory that suggested that language comes out of play,
laughter, cooing, courtship, emotional mutterings and the like. He theorized that
contrary to other theories, perhaps some of the first words were actually long and
musical, rather than the short grunts.

The Ding-Dong theory is a nickname to what is usually known as nativistic

theory. The theory is based on the supposed harmony between sound and sense in
language.

4. The Physical Adaptation Source

• social organization. In a group, communication is required. So human
sounds were
• produced.

• 4- The Physical Adaptation Source

The theory depends on the physical features human possess especially those
that are distinct from other creatures. Our ancestors made a very significant transition
to upright posture, with bipedal, and a revised role for the front limbs.
• distinct from other creatures. Our ancestors made a very significant
transition to
• upright posture, with bipedal, and a revised role for the front limbs.

According to Gesture theory, speech was preceded by gestures. The extensive

use of gestures by certain animals and by primitive tribes was an evidence of this
theory.
The theory comes from the idea that there is a link between physical gesture
and orally produced sounds. First of all a set of physical gestures was developed as a
means of communication.

• produced sounds. First of all a set of physical gestures was developed as a means
of

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• communication.
Then a set of oral gestures specially involving the mouth developed in
which the movements of the tongue, lips and so on where recognized according to
patterns of movement similar to physical gestures.

• movements of the tongue, lips and so on where recognized according to

patterns of
• movement similar to physical gestures.
The focus is on the biological basis of the formation. In the evolutionary
development there are certain physical features, best thought of a practical adaptation,
that appear to be relevant for speech.

• there are certain physical features, best thought of a practical adaptations that appear
to
• be relevant for speech.
Human teeth, lips, mouth, tongue, larynx, pharynx and brain have been
created in such a way to coordinate in producing speech sounds. Their places,
connections and coordinative functions make humankind different from all the living
creatures.

• a way to coordinate in producing speech sounds. Their places, connections

and
• coordinative functions make humankind different from all the living creatures.
Teeth=upright, not slanting outwards. Lips = have much intricate muscles.
Mouth= small. Tongue=can be used in variety of shapes. Humans can close off the
airway through the nose to create air pressure inside the mouth. Larynx+(voice box)
different position – upright posture.

• small. Tongue=can be used in variety o shapes. Humans can close off the
airway
• through the nose to create air pressure inside the mouth. Larynx=(voice box)
different
• position- upright posture.
Human body parts have more than one function: Teeth, lips: chewing
and sucking producing speech sounds. Human hands: making tools and manual
gestures. Human brain has specialized functions in each of the two hemispheres.
Complex vocalization (speaking) and object manipulation (making or using tools) are
very close to each other in the left hemisphere in the brain. There may be an
evolutionary connection between the language using and tool using.

5. Genetic Source
• producing speech sounds. Human hands: making tools and manual
gestures. Brain at

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 • work! Human brain is lateralized. It has specialized functions in in
each of the two
• hemispheres. Complex vocalization (Speaking) and object
manipulation (making or
• using tools) are very close to each other in the left hemisphere in the brain.
There may
• be an evolutionary connection between the language using and tool using.

• 5- The Genetic Source

The innateness hypothesis is a linguistic theory of language acquisition

which holds that at least some knowledge about language exists in human birth. This
hypothesis supports linguistic nativism and was first proposed by Noam Chomsky.
• that at least some knowledge about language exists in humans at birth. This
hypothesis
• supports linguistic nativism and was first proposed by Noam Chomsky.
Facts about the complexity of human language systems, the universality of
language acquisition, the facility that children demonstrate in acquiring these
systems, and the comparative performance of adults in attempting the same task are
all commonly invoked in support.

Reference

http://assets.cambridge.org/052183/5577/excerpt/0521835577_excerpt.htm

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