Does language evolve? Is there a time when the language you speak changes? Explain your position.
Religious views considered, evolution is undeniable. There’s two types of evolution – natural and artificial. We (humans) are an example of natural evolution, iPods (and all their generations) are an example of artificial evolution. Language falls somewhere in between them. Language is a natural human skill and tool, but also something that has been developed by people over centuries and millenniums. I suppose the earliest form of language was emotional, maybe the time the first human looked into the second’s eyes. Regardless of whether verbal communication or artistic communication was the next development in language, it’s easy to follow/imagine the progress from there. Language might be the fastest non-technological form of evolution that exists. In the last 50 years, I can, off the top of my head, list quite a few words that have been invented or changed meanings quite a bit: gay, cool, sweet, swagger, hot, University High School, rap, videogame, internet, sneakers, and on and on… There is never a time when the language we/I speak is not changing.
2 comments:
I was really impressed by your ideas in this piece, especially the opening piece about evolution. Maybe I'm just stupid, but I had never thought about the fact that there are two types of evolution. I totally agree with what you are saying in that our language continues to change as we continue to change. Keep up the good work!
In all of the blogs I have read, no one else has considered the origins of language in their argument. I think your explanation of natural and artificial evolution, as well as the placement of language as "somewhere in between" provides a very accurate description of the changes that are going on in English today, as well as language as whole, from the beginning until the end (one can hope) of time. Just as if natural evolution of species were to stop, the day language ceases to evolve is the day humanity loses a vital part of itself.
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