There is much discrepancy among linguists regarding the origins of language. Most linguists argue that only specific influences gave rise to the language system that exists today. Some linguists, like Noam Chomsky, argue that language is an innate function of human nature while others, like Daniel Everett, posit that language is solely a cultural product. As a result of this debate, the question arises: What are the true origins of language? The human need to communicate and to express ideas is a true instinct that leads to the development of language. Therefore, rather to say that language has a single origin, it is more probable to say that language is a synergistic product of established human neurological and biological processes that …show more content…
They also state that Lucy, the earliest human ancestor who dates back three million years ago, possessed a hyoid bone underneath the tongue which is essential for speech (Lull, 52). In addition to the physical anatomical evidence, there is neurological evidence that substantiates the human instinct to vocalize and to communicate. The FOXP2 gene is genetic evidence of the innate function of language (Everett, 70). Although this gene is not solely responsible for speech and language, the FOXP2 gene “influences the capacity to learn and use language by orchestrating the functionality of a network of genes” (Lull, 52). Furthermore, research has been done on Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area, parts of the brain in which Pierre Paul Broca, a French physician, and Carl Wernicke, a German physician, have done extensive studies in regards to brain function and language. Both physicians discovered that certain sectors of the brain such as the frontal lobe and posterior are involved with the development of language. Absence of the FOXP2 gene or damage to areas of the brain directly affects the ability to speak and may result in aphasia, a language disorder that detrimentally affects the ability to use language
Before there was language, there were sounds such as, thunder, wind and animal sounds. As the brain evolved, humans developed the capacity for basic screams and shrieks. They used drums to frighten their enemies. And as further explained by the author, the human brain developed three cognitive abilities which led to the development of language over
Continuing, though much of the mystery surrounding the production of language had been uncovered by the discovery of Broca's area, many unknowns still existed regarding how exactly humans were able to understand the language we produced. Ten years after the identification of Broca's area, a German neurologist named Carl Wernicke would pioneer research into the portions of the brain dedicated to understanding language.
Famous American anthropologist and social theorist Clyde Kluckholm , claims in one of his publication that “Every language is also a special way of looking at the world and interpreting experience concealed in the structure of language are a whole set of unconscious assumptions about the world and the life in it”(Writing logically, Thinking critically 7th edition P 35). Based on this theory, we can learn more
Linguistic discourse arises from the multiple areas: from studies of primate social behavior, from the comparison of existing human languages, from research on the development of language in children, from studies of genetic and anatomical structures, from cross-cultural studies, from the observation of earning and forming lexicon, and from the studies of the communication of bees, birds, and mammals (cit). Initially, though, language, spoken or signed, was a gestural system that evolved from so-called “mirror system” in the primate brain. Mirror system is a mechanism that allows to equate self actions with actions of others; mirror system's neurons are part of dorsal visual system (citation). The dorsal pathway projects visual information
=> The recent discovery of ‘mirror neurons’ suggests that rather than vocal communication having evolved directly, the evolution of human speech may have been derived from a communication system of manual gestures.
The researchers learned so much about the three areas that support the language development in the human brain. Having the technology, the researchers can monitor activities in the brain while using language. There is parts of the brain that can let us use language more ways than we can imagine. The important area of the brain is the Bronca which has an important part for our speech. This is located at the left part of brain by the frontal part. This controls our tongue and lips which help dictation and the pronunciation of words. If we did not have this, it would be impossible to speak without interpretation of what is being said. On the other side of the Broca’s area is the Wernicke’s area. The location for this is in the rear on left
The way that this idea connects with society of the Ethiopian Gelada monkeys is that as the article mentioned: "Language is a form of gestures sounds to simply make the world a less frightening place". The world that monkeys live in is socially different than ours and they communicate create togetherness to survive. I believe that humans too started off with simple noises as these Gelada monkeys and ended up with clear speech. So, perhaps, we, human, came to existence we started making first sounds, gestures to explain our thoughts of our inner worlds. We created language to protect ourselves from perhaps other nations, create secret information through our gestures and language and encourage each other as we speak. We use language to try to build relationships with one another and this idea and a lot more makes many similarities with other amazing creatures like these Gelada monkeys which are considered to be ancestors as the article suggests. Clearly, Gelada monkeys open our minds to a more clear way of critical thinking regarding our human
Burling’s article analyzes language as a system of sounds, words and sentences. In short, this article points to the notion that human beings communicate with digital and analog signals. Additionally, the title of this article refers to the idea that smiles, winks and words are precursors to a fully developed language.
In “The Symbolic Species,” Terrence Deacon states that language has been evolved specifically with the human brain. Deacon He argues that the structure of language should not merely be seen as the amalgam of “words and rules,” but as a complete system. Each word can be separated from one another in a sentence to focus on each word’s definition, but he looks at the combination of those words within a sentence, similar to “genes and organs of an organism.” (113), that provides a completely new pattern and perspective.
Then as the early humans progressed, they developed a series of grunts and gestures to communicate with each other. And over time formal languages evolved. But the languages that evolved are not present back at the point of the Source. The Source is the base, the beginning, the creative starting point of all existence. Languages and communication only came into existence further down the road.
Chomsky proposed a theory of language acquisition, which holds that at least some knowledge about language exists in humans at birth. Additionally, that all languages share some properties of organization and structure. (Miller, p. 198)
Language is a cognitive function that most of us take for granted. It starts from early on, some say at conception, and it develops in complexity as we get older. It is an essential part of communication and without it its development would be greatly hindered. This natural process requires complex structures and reasoning, the bringing together of sounds and words to develop concrete ideas and thoughts. In this paper we will discuss the components of language and how it relates to cognitive processes.
Language derives from culture. Culture is everything in one’s life. Culture is a diverse topic in which extends to shape and form an individual, group, community, or even a society. According to the Merriam-Webster’s definition of culture, culture is, “the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations”. Culture derives from a practice of beliefs in one’s atmosphere. Although time changes, and people change, culture and one’s lifestyle will never die. Language is the main contributor in making a culture unique and special. It is the main reason why there are hundreds, thousands of different languages throughout the world. People communicate
It is a topic of interest for several branches of modern academia, both in the Humanities and in natural science. As human language is one of the most unique traits our race has, if not the most, this comes as no surprise. The discussion concerning human language and the nature vs. nurture debate is however not the focus of this paper. But it makes sense that because of human language is so complex, the cognitive mechanisms in the brain which support it, must be rather complex aswell. Studies since the nineteenth century has proved that it is an important part of the brain for human language, and that is why Broca's area is
Linguistics has impacted cognitive psychology as the quest to understand language acquisition and the structure of language itself is undertaken. Linguistics is a complex and multifaceted; it includes language structural patterns and language development (Barsalou, 2005). The process of language development is complicated and dense, as the study of language is examined; the role of cognition is inherently examined and analyzed. Sternberg (2006) also explores language as an innate process and presents the idea that humans are born ready for language as a biological and cognitive process.