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theories about language change
human language and animal languange
The origin of human language
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Introduction
Linguistics classifies language as a mechanism that permits free and creative expression of feelings into signs, and the opposite interpretation of such signs back into feelings (Christiansen & Kirby, 2005). According to Becker, 2005, “human language is seen as the last key evolution in the development of life on earth (2)”. His idea is that biological changes in humans are as a result of forces of evolution implying that human language originated from certain sources, and that its characteristics derived from human genes. Language by itself is a distinction amongst the various animal communication systems as it permits creation of infinite symbols through the innovative blending of finite vocabulary, using recursions (Caplan et al., 1984). In this regard, language is similar to the genetic code, which utilises a limited set of DNA bases to create numerous proteins.
Even though linguistics and psychologists are united in the notion that language is a natural system, there is a contradiction of way language originated and evolved. The leading theories are: grand change theory, gradual emergence theory, neo-Darwinian theory, and gene interaction theory (Aaron & Joshi, 2006). This paper will analyse two theories that have a biological perspective of the way language has evolved. The two theories that will be highlighted are neo-Darwinian and the gradual change with a further emphasis on the predictions that the theories make about the future.
Grand Change Theory
Chomsky as qtd., by Aaron & Joshi, proposed that language was inborn, a biological requisite, species specific, and had implications for genetic determination. This theory came after Chomsky defined universal grammar as a system of rules and principles that a...
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Descendants of humans who currently speak the current language which consists of the four levels might be using a human language that has extra levels due to natural selection processes. The gradual change in human language over time may be accompanied by adaptations which ultimately result in the old system of human language dying out. Therefore the theory stipulates that at one instance there will be no possibility of two forms of human language existing.
Conclusion
The two theories of language evolution prove that language in the future will not be the same as it is currently. Despite one advocating for gradual change and the other sudden, both of them claim that the evolution is random. Furthermore, the theories have proven that language evolution corresponds to human evolution where new language will ultimately be formed at the end of the process.
Word learning is a fundamental building block for early language acquisition. One controversial phenomenon associated with vocabulary growth is vocabulary spurt, usually characterised as a rapid increase in productive vocabulary in early child language. Despite that fact that initially, the word production starts slowly, it has been argued that after few months, children undergo a transition to a subsequent stage of faster vocabulary growth (Goldfield & Reznick, 1990). Several theories have attempted to account for this phenomenon. For instance, Plunkett (1993, as cited in Ganger & Brent, 2004) suggests that the acceleration results from linguistic advances such as word segmentation which allows children to pick up more words from speech stream; however, there is now a growing disagreement on its existence in all children (Goldfield & Reznick, 1990; Ganger & Brent, 2004). The aim of the present essay is to evaluate the ability of two theories, namely the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Dynamical Systems theory (DST), to explain the issues underlying the lexical development and vocabulary spurt. This essay provides an overview of both theories and compares their strengths and weaknesses in their explanation of lexical development supported by empirical evidence.
Since, until we have proof to the contrary, human intelligence is more developed than animal, it would seem easier for us to learn animal language than for animals to learn our speech. Moreover, once a human scientist has decoded an animal language, he is able to understand all the members of his own species, present and future” (Borgese 4). Another point that has influenced some linguists to believe that animal language is not a language is the fact that animal language is not as complex as human language, however, one linguist gives evidence to support that animal language is complex, “Complex forms of communication are found among socialized, communal insects, such as ants, bees, wasps, and termites, and among social animals, such as antelopes, wild horses, wolves and beavers” (Brown 18). The way that Vinson Brown views the complexity of animal language is that all animals in a socialized setting are capable and have a complex system of language ability already in place. The way that other linguists view the complexity or lack thereof with animal language is because of the fact that the animals are unable to form thoughts and feelings to convey to others; their movements are meant for the basic emotions as discussed with the
First version of their hypothesis is about human beings remarkable ability in language acquisition in their early life. In this hypothesis they predict that people's ability to acquire languages will be fade or decrease with maturity if they do not practice in early life. Whereas, they will have an active ability to acquire languages if they practice in their early life. The second version of their hypothesis is that human beings will completely or partially lose their available ability to acquire languages as time went by with maturity.
Let me begin by introducing two familiar, controversial, but to my mind not implausible, views about language, each of which has a long history.
For a number of years, Noam Chomsky has produced written artefacts relating to the use and acquisition of language. In his works, Chomsky argues that humans have an innate ability to learn how to use language. The question of an innate ability to learn language is a cross-disciplinary one, relating to the fields of psychology, philosophy and linguistics. This essay will review Chomsky’s claim of an innate predisposition to acquire language by first attempting to determine precisely what Chomsky means by this term, before looking at key arguments both supporting and refuting the claim. Finally, a conclusion will be reached as to whether Chomsky’s position can be held as valid based on the evidence reviewed to discuss the claim.
The prehistoric times stand evidence to the power of language as a tool for communication and growth. Language has proven to be an effective medium and factor surrounding the evolution of man. Language has played a big role in the development of individuals and societies. What is spoken and/or written, help in the initiation of imagination, expression of feelings, and conveyance of thoughts and ideas.
The acquisition of language has long been a debate in the world of linguistics, starting with B.F Skinner and Noam Chomsky in the 1950’s. Skinner, a leading behaviorist argued that language is just another behaviour learned through stimulus reinforcement, whereas Chomsky argued that it is unique. In his novel “The Language Instinct”, Pinker discusses the ins and outs of language while siding with Chomsky’s viewpoint. To further explain how language is not just a learned skill and to develop his own argument, Pinker goes as far as calling language an ‘instinct’.
...ate and share ideas leading to the progress and evolution of our society as a whole. Language was essential to becoming what we are, and it is essential to become what we have yet to become. It’s interesting to look at it through an anthropological perspective, because we see the way it influenced us physically and culturally. Language is possibly the most important tool we have.
In the last few decades, the notion of language and brain has been highlighted in different scientific fields such as: neurology, cognitive science, linguistics biology, technology and finally education.
Language, according to Owens (2012, p. 6), “can be defined as a socially shared code or conventional system for representing concepts through the use of arbitrary symbols and rule-governed combinations of those symbols”. Language is thought to be a complex system; however, it can be broken down into three different components. These three components consist of content, form, and use. Within these three components, language has five main components which includes semantics, morphology, phonology, syntax, and pragmatics (Owens, 2012, p. 18).
While his predecessors took an empirical stance when it came to language, Chomsky was a rationalist, claiming that we have an innate sense of knowledge. This philosophy led him to create his theories of universal grammar, linguistic competence, deep structure via immediate constituent analysis, and generative grammar. A significant quantity of how we currently study linguistic originated from his findings.
...he caretaker] in just this way when she finally returned to work with the chimps. Kat made her apologies to Washoe, then decided to tell her the truth, signing "MY BABY DIED." Washoe stared at her, then looked down. She finally peered into Kat's eyes again and carefully signed "CRY", touching her cheek and drawing her finger down the path a tear would make on a human (Chimpanzees don't shed tears). Kat later remarked that one sign told her more about Washoe and her mental capabilities than all her longer, grammatically perfect sentences."
There are three main theories of child language acquisition; Cognitive Theory, Imitation and Positive Reinforcement, and Innateness of Certain Linguistic Features (Linguistics 201). All three theories offer a substantial amount of proof and experiments, but none of them have been proven entirely correct. The search for how children acquire their native language in such a short period of time has been studied for many centuries. In a changing world, it is difficult to pinpoint any definite specifics of language because of the diversity and modification throughout thousands of millions of years.
Throughout the time there has been many languages yet none of them have been as dominant as the English language. This has raised some distress among the people fearing it will become the only language spoken in the world. Countless dialects have and will disappear and those that survive will be simplified by the usage of smaller vocabularies and less complex sentences. These changes were particular cause by the migration. This forced adults to learn new languages quickly but as a result, they were learning less of the language, opting for shorter sentences and not using any grammar rules. The future holds an increase of streamlined languages that will become easier to learn and will have the capacity to communicate in one widely accepted language that could be used as a second tongue. In this essay will discuss the idea that McWhorter has of how the English language will be the only idiom in the world.
Toward these facts, when we study language as a phenomenon featured by dynamism, it is possible to prove that all elements belonged to it (words, phrase order, phonemes, among others) suffered changes due to its evolution. A representative case to these kinds of changes is the semantic change.