LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 12 : 8 August 2012
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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M. S. Thirumalai
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Origin and Evolution of Human Language -
A Brief Survey of Some Theories and Approaches

Mohammad Nehal and Mohammad Afzal

Abstract

Language is a complex human behavior which defies many disciplines in describing its formal structure and function (theoretical linguistics). Origin of language has been all the more difficult to explore as the archaeological, anthropological, biological, genetic, neurological and psychological evidences are varied and a unified view of language development and behavior is difficult to reach. The process of language acquisition and application of the tool of language for educational and mental development is being seriously explored. The theoretical discipline of linguistics has to give a comprehensive view of syntax, semantics and pragmatics in language comprehension, whereas a mathematical theory of information in philosophy and language has still some challenging problems. The present article reviews the major trends in linguistic research and their implications for solving human problems in education, behavior and artificial intelligence.

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strong>Keywords: Origin, Evolution, Language, Approaches, Grammar

Introduction

There are two schools of thought which try to describe the evolution of human language in their own ways. The nature and nurture dichotomy has been solved at the biological level in regulation of gene expression at molecular and cellular planes by an environmental impact on timing and quantitative regulation of gene product, which bring about phenotypic development in its final shape. However, in case of complex phenotypes this simple programme is not enough. There are so-called genetic pathways and cell to issue and organ differentiation leading to establishment of functional phenotypes. In case of brain and language as organ, this becomes all the more complex and when we try to study origin of language at the organismal level, cultural and social factors get involved (Kirby et al., 2007).

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Mohammad Nehal, B.Sc. (Biology), B.A. Hons. (English), M.A. (English), Ph.D. (Linguistics)
Department of English
Sabour College
TM Bhagalpur University
Bhagalpur 813210
Bihar
India
md.nehal2012@rediffmail.com

Mohammad Afzal, B.Sc. Hons. (Zoology), M.Sc. (Zoology), Ph.D. (Genetics)
Department of Zoology
Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh 202002
Uttar Pradesh
India
afzal1235@rediffmail.com
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