The study of language by Yule
Unit 1: the origins of language
1. Gloss: parallel meaning in target language e.g. dog = سگ
2. The divine source: religious belief, language is a gift of God. Biblical tradition, Adam, …
Objection: there is no spontaneous language. If lg did emanate from a divine source, so we had no way to reconstruct the source.
3. Natural sound source:
* Bow-wow theory: Imitation of natural sounds. Onomatopia: echoing natural sounds. E.g. bow-wow, band, boom, etc.
* Pooh-Pooh theory: natural cries of emotion.
objections( 1. Interjections: e.g. oh, yuck, wow, …. 2. Exhale of breath while talking, not inhale.
4. Social interaction source / Yo-he(ave)-ho theory: the most appealing BC of being in social context.
Objection: apes and primates weren't in social context, sounds involved in physical efforts.
5. Oral gesture source/ Ta- Ta theory: patterns of movement.
Glossogenetics: biological basis of formation and development of human language.
6. Physical adaption source: an upright posture moved the head forward and larynx lower. Lowering the larynx caused creation of pharynx which resonates the sounds made by larynx. Other primates didn't have pharynx.
Human lips have more intricate muscle interlacing than other primates. They were able to produce m, b, p with lips and f, v with teeth.
Their mouth is smaller than other primates. Shorter, thicker and more muscular tongue than other primates.
Lateralization: function for both hemispheres.
Bi-pedal locomotion (on two feet)
Tool making source: humans had developed preferential right-handedness and become capable of making stone tools. Tool making or manipulating objects is evidence of brain at work
7. Genetic source: Human infants are born with special capacity for language. Not a gradual change, it is quick.
Even infants who are born deaf can use sign language.
Innateness hypothesis: points to sth in human genetics, a crucial mutation as the source.
8. Age-old beliefs of origin or linguistic diversity:
* Oldest; single origin language. Nostratic: first human lg.
* Parallel evaluation: Polygenesis: multiple linguistic origin