Theories on the origin of language

2. If there is no language used today how
do you think will human beings
communicate?

3. Do you think language was created or
innate?

4. How do you think language
originate?

6. The Origins of Language
MARK JUSTINE LLANETA LLANTO

7. When we study human language,
we are approaching what some
might call the "human essence,"
the distinctive qualities of mind
that are, so far as we know, unique
to man.
-Noam Chomsky-

9. 1. BELIEF IN DIVINE CREATION
• Language is a gift from God.
• Genesis 2:20 ----- Adam gave names to all living
things.
• Humans were created with
an innate capacity to use
language (Wherever humans
exist language exists)
• In Hindu they believe that
language came from
Brahma, the creator of
universe.

10. 2. NATURAL EVOLUTION HYPOTHESIS
• Human acquired a more sophisticated brain
[Evolutionary Development] which made language
invention and learning possible.
• Humans evolved a Language Acquisition Device
(LAD) [Physical Terms]
• The simple vocalizations and gestures inherited
from our primate ancestors then gave way to a
creative system of Language.
• Homo Ioquens
--the speaking humans
2. NATURAL EVOLUTION HYPOTHESIS

11. 3. INVENTION HYPOTHESIS
A. IMITATION HYPOTHESIS
1. DING-DONG HYPOTHESIS
• Language began when humans started naming objects,
actions and phenomena after a recognizable sound
associated with it in real life.
2. POOH-POOH HYPOTHESIS
• First word came from involuntary exclamations of dislike,
hunger pain or pleasure, eventually leading to expression pf
more developed ideas and emotions.
• Speech began with interjections—spontaneous cries of pain,
surprise, and other emotions ("Yabba dabba doo!").
2. POOH-POOH HYPOTHESIS

12. 3. BOW-WOW HYPOTHESIS
• Language began when our ancestors started imitating the
natural sounds around them. The first speech
was onomatopoeic—marked by echoic words such as moo,
meow, splash, cuckoo, and bang.
4. TA-TA HYPOTHESIS
• [Charles Darwin] ----- Speech may have developed as a sort
of mouth pantomime
Technique/art of convening
emotions, feelings, etc. by gestures
without speech.
• The organs of speech were used to imitate the gestures of
hand [lip icons of hand gestures]

13. B. NECESSITY HYPOTHESIS
1. WARNING HYPOTHESIS
• Language evolved from warning signals such as those used
by the animals. Perhaps language started with warning to
others.
2. YO-HE-HO HYPOTHESIS
• Language developed on the basics of human cooperative
efforts. The earliest language was chanting to simulate
collective efforts.
* Moving great stones to block off case
* Repeating warlike phrases.
3. LYING HYPOTHESIS
• [E.H. Stewart] voluntary communication must have been
invented for the purpose of lying or deceiving.

15. What is the first (1st)
Language?

16. LANGUAGE
DEPRIVATION

18. MECHANICS:
• The class will be divided into two groups.
• The game will be similar to Charades; each
group will have 3 (three) minutes to guess the
word/s they’ve picked from the bowl.
• Three members per group are allowed to
act/imitate the word/s while the rest will guess
the word/s.
• If the players picked a paper with word/s that
are in color red, the players are allowed to
speak/imitate the sound.

20. 1.Belief in Divine Creation
2.Natural Evolution Hypothesis
3.Invention Hypothesis
A. Imitation Hypothesis
i. Ding-dong Hypothesis
ii. Pooh-Pooh Hypothesis
iii. Bow-Wow Hypothesis
iv. Ta-ta Hypothesis
B. Necessity Hypothesis
i. Warning Hypothesis
ii. Yo-He-Ho Hypothesis
iii. Lying Hypothesis

21. ASSIGNMENT:
Research on the History of the
English Language, specially the
three (3) Germanic Tribes.