The Origin Of Language Essay - 1541 Words

There has been considerable historical discourse over the nature of language. Most contend that thought and language are two interrelated criteria. Just how these criteria relate to the controversy over whether animals have language capabilities and even more specifically to the Sapir-Whorf human language thought debate, however, is not always clear. From a human context we know that language is a skill which allows us to communicate our thoughts to others and in so doing to attain desired quot;biological, cognitive, and social/behavioral feedbackquot; (McDonnell, 1977). The question as to whether language is a skill that human beings are born with or whether it is a skill that is acquired is a complex one and not one in which all†¦show more content†¦They believe that the quot;baby talkquot; uttered by infants is simply a precursor to actual language and that both quot;baby talkquot; and the ability to translate ones thoughts into language is one which is part of the human genetic blueprint (McConnell, 1977). If the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis were accurate, therefore, human conceptualization would be limited to the words which we were born understanding. We know that this is not the case. We can demonstrate this inaccuracy with a brief look at the animal language controversy which rages on in many circles. While it is agreed in most cases that humans have the genetic blueprint for language, it is not always agreed that animals have this same blueprint. Most researchers recognize that human infants can distinguish between various sounds in human speech at a very early age. According to psychologist Patricia Kuhl at the University of Washington, for example, infants can distinguish between each of the 150 universal components of human speech (Grunwald, Goldberg, and Be; 1993). It could be contended that, while they may not have the same range of sound recognition, young animals also associate various sounds emitted by their species as having particular associations. One has to only observe the interactions between a family pet and their offspring to be cognizant of this fact. Indeed, animals quickly learn to recognize the meaning of various humanShow MoreRelatedVernacular Language Origins995 Words   |  4 PagesOrigins of the Vernacular Language Bradlee Melton American InterContinental University Abstract Until the sixteenth century Latin was known as the official language during the Middle Ages. Latin became less used as it was hard to read and to understand but through Latin the Vernacular language was created. Before the sixteenth century all textbooks and even the Bible were written in Latin creating a great diversity between the upper crust of society and the common people. When the VernacularRead MoreEssay on the origins of language652 Words   |  3 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Knowing a language means one can speak, be understood and understand others who know the language. Although I have taken three years of Spanish, I would not say that I definitively know Spanish. I would not feel comfortable going to Spain alone and trying to survive merely with the three years training that I received. I would inevitably make mistakes, conjugating verbs improperly or stringing nonsensical sentences together. Knowing a language means knowing the things that youRead MoreThe Origins Of The English Language1318 Words   |  6 PagesII. 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