Essay on Origins of Language DOCX

Title	Essay on Origins of Language
Author	Poshona Ngava
Pages	4
File Size	21.5 KB
File Type	DOCX
Total Downloads	122
Total Views	175

Summary

1.1 Introduction It’s a phenomenon, a mystery and its existence has Scientist and Linguistic experts from around the world debating about it. What is it you wonder? It is language. Where did it come from? How is it linked with writing? How did it make it’s way to Africa? In the next essay I will att...

Description

1.1 Introduction It's a phenomenon, a mystery and its existence has Scientist and Linguistic experts from around the world debating about it. What is it you wonder? It is language. Where did it come from? How is it linked with writing? How did it make it's way to Africa? In the next essay I will attempt to answer this questions as well others that may arise. 1.2 Definition of Language Before we can understand and dive into the issue of the origins of language we need to know what language is. Language is the institute whereby humans communicate and interact with each other by the means of habitually-used oral auditory arbitrary signs and symbols. 1.3 Origin of Language Although there isn't a specific, reliable or definite source for the origin of language scientists and experts in the field of linguistics came up with Ideas and have given a few hints on how they think language was developed or came about. Language surrounds us in our everyday life even before we are born we can hear sounds and intonation of our mother tongue. Believe it or not but humans from all works of life use language when we sleep, we dream in language, even when we think our thoughts are made up of language. Language sets us apart from any other living organisms because spoken language is only confined and restricted to humans and is also distinct from any other system of communication. So where does language come from? In the bible there are two accounts that give an answer to the enigma of the origin of language. (Genesis 2:19) And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the air'; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. The problem with the biblical account is it doesn't tell us how Adam got the names of animals and how he was able to memorise every single name of the animals on earth it's merely impossible. It also doesn't state how he named other things which weren't animals e.g. plants. The...