The Origin of Language

What is the divine source theory of language origin?

The Divine source theory of language origin suggests that language was created
by divine being(s) and thus has a divine origin. According to this theory,
language was not created by humans themselves or was a result of human
evolution, but rather was a gift from a higher power. (Shirvalkar, 2023)

• In biblical tradition (God created Adam and whatsoever Adam called every living

creature that was the name thereof) }

• In Hindu Language came from Saravati, wife of Brama, creator of universe.

• Few experiments had been conducted to discover the origin of language. The basic

idea of the theory is that: “ If infants were allowed to grow up without hearing any

language, then they would spontaneously begin using the original God given

language”.

• The Greek historian Herodotus mentioned Psamtik as an example. During his travel to

Egypt, Herodotus heard that Psammetichus ("Psamṯik") sought to discover the origin

of language by conducting an experiment with two children. Allegedly he gave two

newborn babies to a shepherd, with the instructions that no one should speak to them,

but that the shepherd should feed and care for them while listening to determine their

first words.

• The hypothesis was that the first word would be uttered in the root language of all

people. When one of the children cried "βηκοs" (bèkos), the shepherd concluded that

the word was Phrygian because that was the sound of the Phrygian word for "bread."

Thus, they concluded that the Phrygians were an older people than the Egyptians, and

that Phrygian was the original language of men. The Phrygian language /ˈfrɪdʒiən/ was

the Indo-European language of the Phrygians, spoken in Asia Minor during Classical

Antiquity (2nd millennium BC to 5th century AD).

• King James the Fourth of Scotland carried out the same experiment and discovered the

children spoke Hebrew. The Divine Source of Language could not be confirmed
The divine source

-Divine is related to God or creator.

-In most religions, it is believed that language appears to be a divine source

that provides human with language.

-Some experiments confirm that if human infant get deprived of hearing

language around them, they would spontaneously begin using God or

Creator- given language in the Psamtik story.

-Yet, other experiments- of children who lived in isolation without contact

with humans- did not confirm the results of divine- source experiments as in

the cases of Victor and Aveyron who were discovered in the 18 th century ;

as they did not show a spontaneous language, as in the previous experiments.

The tool- making source -It is speculated that human hands and manual gestures
may have been a precursor of language. 6 -Two million years ago, human
managed to develop preferential right – handedness and had become able to
make stone tools; tool- making is evidence of a brain at work. The human brain
(1) -The human brain is lateralized; where it has different functions for each
hemisphere. -Left hemisphere of the brain is responsible for complex vocalization
and speaking. -Interestingly, motor cortex that controls the muscles of the arms
and hands is next to articulatory muscles of face and jaw . The human brain (2) -
Many speculative proposals argue that the origins of speech is based on human
producing single noises to indicate objects in their environment. Yet, it lacks
structural.organization. All languages require the organizing and combining of
sounds and signs in specific arrangement. The human brain (3) -In terms of tool-
making , it is not enough for human to grasp one rock (to make one sound) but
need to bring two rocks to create proper contact with the first and to develop a
tool. -In terms of language structure, the human may have developed the naming
ability first for producing consistent noise; then to bring another specific noise to
build a complex message
Which is more plausible, tool making or divine ?
The tool-making source theory and the divine creation theory are two opposing perspectives on the origin of
language.

While both theories have their strengths and weaknesses, the tool-making source theory is more
plausible for several reasons:

Firstly, the tool-making source theory is supported by empirical evidence from linguistics, cognitive
psychology, and anthropology. For example, studies have shown that language development is
closely tied to the development of cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, and problem-solving
skills (e.g., Pinker & Bloom, 1990). Additionally, research has found that language is used more
frequently and in more complex ways in social contexts where tools are used, such as during hunting
and gathering activities (e.g., Cartmill & Byrne, 1996).

Secondly, the tool-making source theory is consistent with our understanding of how other cognitive
abilities, such as music and mathematics, have evolved. Just as these abilities likely evolved as
byproducts of other adaptations, such as the need to remember melodies or the need to count
objects, language may have evolved as a byproduct of the need for early humans to communicate
and collaborate during tool-making activities.

Thirdly, the tool-making source theory is more parsimonious than the divine creation theory. It does
not require the existence of supernatural entities or the ability to create language ex nihilo, which are
assumptions that are not supported by empirical evidence. Instead, it relies on well-established
principles of evolution and cognitive development to explain the origins of language.

In conclusion, while the divine creation theory is an attractive explanation for the origins of language,
the tool-making source theory is more plausible based on empirical evidence and our understanding
of how other cognitive abilities have evolved. Therefore, the tool-making source theory is the more
reliable explanation for the origins of language.

Another piece of evidence that the Genetic Source Theory is the existence of a LAD. The
LAD appears to have contributed to the development of creole variants of English. Language expert Derek Bickerton has
researched how Surinamese creoles with Dutch roots developed. Slaves who had escaped from their captors and were
living together had to use their very limited Dutch to communicate. The outcome was a pidgin, a limited variety of
language. The adult speakers had studied Dutch as a foreign language and under difficult circumstances, and they were
past the key age at which they might learn a new language fluently. Surprisingly, the descendants of these slaves
developed the pidgin into a whole language called a creole, according to linguists. They were likely unconscious of the
process, but the result was a variant of language that adheres to its own set of reliable norms and has a wide range of
expressive possibilities. Therefore, this study supports the innate theory of language origin since it shows that the
descendants of the slaves could not have learned a language so rapidly unless they had strong intrinsic
understanding of grammar.

THEORIES OF LANGUAGE ACQUISITION. (n.d.). Montsaye Academy. Retrieved October 16, 2023, from
https://www.montsaye.northants.sch.uk/assets/Uploads/English-Language-Summer-Work-2.pdf