Origin-of-Language

OriginofLanguageOriginofLanguageTheDivine-OriginTheory—LanguageisagiftofGodtomankindTheInventionTheory——imitative,criesofnature,thegruntsofmenworkingtogetherTheEvolutionaryTheory——theresultofphysicalandpsychologicaldevelopment1TheDivine-OriginTheoryAndoutofthegroundtheLORDGodformedeverybeastofthefield,andeveryfowloftheair;andbroughtthemuntoAdamtoseewhathewouldcallthem,andwhatsoeverAdamcalledeverylivingcreature,thatwasthenamethereof.AndAdamgavenamestoallcattle,andtothefowloftheair,andtoeverybeastofthefield.圣经《旧约·创世纪》中上帝创造亚当，亚当给万物取名的描述；古埃及人认为语言的创造者是透特神；中国古代传说女娲抟土造人的故事；印度人认为语言是宇宙创造者梵天之妻，学习女神沙拉斯瓦提赋予人类的这些都反映了“语言神授”的原始观念。2TheInventionTheoryThe“bow-wow”theoryThe“pooh-pooh”theoryThe“yo-he-ho”theoryBow-wowtheory:imitatethenaturalsoundsoftheanimalcallsinthewildenvironmentPooh-poohtheory:instinctivesoundsofpain,angerandjoyasinterjectionsYo-he-hotheory:rhythmicsoundsproducedbyprimitivepeoplewhenworkingtogether.2TheInventionTheoryInprimitivetimespeopleimitatedthesoundsoftheanimalcallsinthewildenvironmenttheylivedandspeechdevelopedfromthat.Onomatopoeicwordsseemtobeaconvenientevidenceforthistheory.Buttheyareverydifferentinthedegreeofresemblancetheyexpresswiththenaturalsounds.Thistheorylackssupportiveevidence.The“bow-wow”Theory摹声说ApesgibberBearsgrowlBullsbellowCatsmew(purr)EaglesscreamFrogscroakGoatsbleatAssesbrayBeetlesdroneCamelsgruntDucksquackFliesbuzzGeesecackle(gabble)Horsesnay(snort)PrimaryOnomatopoeiaPrimaryOnomatopoeiaHenscluckLionsroarMicesqueakPigeonscooPuppiesyelpSnakeshissTurkeysgobbleLarkswarbleMagpieschatterOwlshoot(screech)Pigssqueal(grunt)Ravens(乌鸦)croakThrushes(画眉)whistleWolveshowlInthehardlifeofourprimitiveancestors,theyutterinstinctivesoundsofpain,angerandjoy.Asforevidence,wecanonlycitetheuniversaluseofsoundsasinterjections.Whatmakesthetheoryproblematicisthatthereisonlyalimitednumberofinterjectionsinalmostalllanguages.Besides,interjectionssuchasOh,Ah,Oopsbearlittlerelationshipwiththesoundsystemofalanguageandthereforearenotgoodevidence.The“Pooh-pooh”Theory感叹说Asprimitivepeopleworkedtogether,theyproducedsomerhythmicgruntswhichgraduallydevelopedintochantsandthenintolanguage.Wedohaveprosodicuseofrhythmsinlanguages,butrhythmicgruntsarefardifferentfromlanguageinitspresentsense.Thetheoryisagainatmostaspeculation.The“Yo-he-ho”Theory吆嘿嗬说TheEvolutionaryTheory——theresultofphysicalandpsychologicaldevelopment3TheEvolutionaryTheoryThereiscertainrelationshipbetweenthedevelopmentoflanguageandtheevolutionarydevelopmentofthehumanspecies.1.Childrenarebornwithboththoughtandlanguage.2.Thedevelopmentofthephysicalapparatusforspeech.3.Itislaborthatcreatedthenecessityforlanguage.Theby-nowfruitlesssearchfortheoriginoflanguagesreflectspeople'sconcernwiththeoriginofhumanityandmaycomeupwithenlighteningfindingsinfuture.Onethingwecansayforcertainisthatlanguageevolveswithinspecifichistorical,socialandculturalcontexts.ToSumup