Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Prepared by
Ismail Abdulrahman Perdawdy,
MA in English Language &Linguistics, Lecturer
Department of Translation Techniques,
Erbil Administrative Technical Institute
Erbil Polytechnic University
2017
In this seminar, we will to try answer
the following questions
1.What is language?
2.How did language originate?
3.What are the reasons behind
the diversity of languages in
our present day?
Origins of Language 2
What is Language?
Origins of Language 3
Language is one of
the best means by
which humans
communicate.
Origins of Language 4
Importance of language
Language:
Is everywhere
permeates our thoughts
Mediates our relations with others
Creeps into our dreams
And in it,
Human knowledge and culture is stored and
transmitted.
So, without it, all the above points are IMPOSSIBLE!
Origins of Language 5
How and when did
language originate?
Origins of Language 6
Most of the Western Linguists &
Philosophers believe
There was a time when people didn’t
have the ability to talk.
Humans developed language between
100,000 and 50,000 years ago (but, written language
appeared 5000 years ).
Genetic Divine
Source Source
Origins of Language 8
Natural Sound Source
The suggestion of this source is:
Primitive words could have been imitations of
natural sounds which early men heard around
them.
CAW-CAW sound of flying objects
COO-COO sound of a flying creature.
People started to imitate the sounds and named
the objects and creatures with these sounds.
Origins of Language 9
In addition to cuckoo
Splash
Bang
Boom
Rattle
Buzz
Hiss
Roar
This is known as bow-wow theory
Onomatopoetic words
Origins of Language 10
The problem of ‘bow-wow’ theory
How reference was made to the:
o Soundless words
o Abstract concepts
Origins of Language 11
Natural cries of emotion
• Pain: Ouch!
• Anger: Ah!
• disgust: yuck!
Origins of Language 12
Yo-he-ho theory
Sounds made due to physical effort involving
several people could be the source of our language:
• Grunts
• Groans
• Curses
This theory is based on the social and cultural
cooperation found among early men.
However, apes have grunts but they do not have
a language like ours!
Origins of Language 13
Bow-wow
theory
Yo-he-ho
theory
Origins of Language 14
Physical
Adaptation
Source
Origins of Language 15
Physical Adaptation Source
This source depends on the physical
features humans possess, especially
those that are distinct from other
creatures
Origins of Language 16
Human physical features that help
language
• Human teeth are upright / f, v/
• The lips are made of intricate muscles /p, b/
• The tongue is also helpful.
• Human larynx (voice box: containing vocal cords)
pharynx (resonator).
• Human brain: left hemisphere, in most of the people is
responsible for controlling the above organs of speech.
Origins of Language 17
Genetic
Source
Origins of Language 18
The Genetic Source
• The reason why physical adaptation takes
place in humans & why deaf and dumb can be
fluent sign language users is answered by
supporters of innateness hypothesis (human
offspring are born with a special capacity for
language).
• The language capacity is genetically hard-
wired in born babies.
Origins of Language 19
Divine
Source
Origins of Language 20
Divine Sources
In most of the worlds religions
language is regarded as a gift from
gods to the humans:
Hinduism: Saraswati (Sarasvati),
Brahma’s wife, has given language to
humans as a gift.
In Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Origins of Language 21
Quran
Origins of Language 22
He has taught him [man] speech
(and intelligence).
23
Origins of Language
Some experiments
Origins of Language 24
Why do people speak different
languages if they first had one language
Origins of Language 25
Christianity: Language diversity is a
curse to humanity!
Origins of Language 26
Quran: Language diversity is one sign
of God’s Supreme Power
Origins of Language 27
... ۖ ان قَ ْو ِم ِه ِليُبَ ِي َن لَ ُه ْم
ِ س
َ ل
ِ ب
ِ ا
َّلإ
ِ ل
ٍ وسُ ر
َ ْ
ن م
ِ َا نلْ َ • َو َما أ َ ْر
س
Origins of Language 29
The End
Origins of Language 30
Thank you very زؤر سوثاس بؤ
much for your
presence ئامادةبوونتان
شكرا
على
الحضور
Origins of Language 31