The evolution of the technology of language (1)
- 1. The EvolutionThe Evolution of theof the Technology of LanguageTechnology of Language Technology of LanguageTechnology of Language Technology of LanguageTechnology of Language
- 2. Primitive humans used symbolic languages that were a combination of sounds (phonemes) and gestures (cheremes). Early LanguageEarly Language
- 3. CheremesCheremes Many animals sign or gesture ideas and actions that communicate meaning, in other words, language. Some Native Americans tribes and deaf people use a mechanical sign language to communicate. Also, anyone cutting off someone on the freeway or watching animal mating rituals, such as a male peacock fanning out his tail feathers to a hen, has seen gestured communication. These units of meaning in a gestural language are known as cheremes.
- 4. Vowel SoundsVowel Sounds In conjunction with gestures, the first sounds to be produced were the vowel sounds. These are the simplest of sounds as they are produced by pushing air up through the vocal cords, unrestricted and unmanipulated by anything in the throat or mouth.
- 5. ConsonantsConsonants In conjunction with gestures, the first sounds to be produced were the vowel sounds. These are the simplest of sounds as they are produced by pushing air up through the vocal cords, unrestricted or unmanipulated by anything in the throat or mouth.
- 6. PhonemesPhonemes The most basic element of any language is its sound system. The human speech apparatus is capable of producing about 200 or so distinct sounds. These can and are combined in many different ways to produce audible communication. Linguists call these basic, contrastive units of sound- phonemes.
- 7. MorphemesMorphemes A morpheme is the smallest “atom” of a language carrying meaning. Morphemes, comprised of phonemes, or distinct units of sound, differs from the concept of “word”, which are also morphemes. The great majority of morphemes cannot stand alone and need to be “bound” to linguistic elements that can stand alone as the “s” in making plurals, prefixes, suffixes, definite articles such as “a” and “the”, etc.
- 8. Unbound Morphemes (Words)Unbound Morphemes (Words) Words are morphemes that can stand on their own such as, “unbreakable”. This consists of three morphemes, “un”, “break”, and “able”. All three of these units have meaning. Only one, “break,” can stand freely on its own without being bound to something else. Therefore, linguistically, these are known as unbound or “free” morphemes. Here, we enter the realm of words and grammar, an area that is familiar to any person who speaks a language.
- 9. Action Words (Verbs)Action Words (Verbs) The first rudimentary, pre-sentences were most likely likely an action word, what we call “verbs”, and some sort of gesture indicating, “to where”, “to who”, or “to what”. Words such as “run”, “eat”, “sit”, “go” were probably some of the first concepts spoken.
- 10. ““Actor” Words (Nouns)Actor” Words (Nouns) The next major technological development in language was the addition of someone or something that was the perpetrator of the action symbolized in the action word. In later studies of grammar, this perpetrator or “actor” is what came to be called a noun, and everything attached to it was called the subject, and as every grade student knows, had to be married to the action word and everything attached to it, known as the predicate.
- 11. Early Sentences and their FunctionsEarly Sentences and their Functions The result of adding an actor word (noun) and an action word (verb) was the first sentences. These sentences, like tools, could be used to accomplish certain tasks and effect human conditions. Imperative - are used for commands. Examples: “You come.", “You run.“ Declarative - are used to form statements. Examples: “I am.", “Deer come.“ Interrogative - are used to ask questions. Examples: “I eat?", “You go?"
- 12. Increasing ComplexityIncreasing Complexity Over time, new advances occurred - adjectives were invented (green, heavy, rickety,etc.), direct and indirect objects were discovered ( I hit you, You threw the stone at me), adverbs came into being (rapidly, consequently, very, etc.) and sentences evolved that were used to indicate dependencies between events or conditions ("If you go, I go.“). Sentences grew in complexity and became capable of completing heavier and more difficult tasks.
- 13. Compound SentencesCompound Sentences Simple sentences evolved to have multiple independent clauses, but still no dependent clauses I eat, and you sleep. The Freedom Riders departed on May 4, 1961, and they were determined to travel through many southern states. You went to the stores, and I went to the moviesYou went to the stores, and I went to the movies
- 14. Complex SentencesComplex Sentences Sentences further evolved to contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause Although my friend invited me to a party, I do not want to go. When I thought about it, although I was happy, I stayed home. When I fly, after eating, when the plane tips, I get sick if I have not taken my medicine.
- 15. Complex Compound SentencesComplex Compound Sentences Sentences finally evolved to have multiple independent clauses and at least one dependent clause With her reputation on the line, Peggy played against a fierce opponent at the scrabble competition, and overcoming nerve-racking competition, she won the game with one well-placed word. Catch-22 is widely regarded as Joseph Heller’s best novel, and because Heller served in World War II, which the novel satirizes, the zany and suave wit of the novel packs an extra punch.
- 16. Complex OratoryComplex Oratory The evolutionary process brings us to complex oratory, which uses many sentence types, bringing further complexity and giving life and rhythm. Long sentences work well for information, and short sentences emphasize crucial points. When arriving at the airport, the Winslow family found carvings in the lobby, and they found wall hangings in the gift shop. “Hurrah,” they said. Then, the family boarded their aircraft for the flight home. They all remarked to each other that their trip had been a success, and they decided that they would go again next year.
- 17. Purposes of CommunicationsPurposes of Communications To Inform- newspapers, memorandums, textbooks To Record - minutes, history, incident reports, case notes To Persuade- advertising, political commentary, To Entertain- satire, plays, film scripts, novels
- 18. Layers of ConcretionsLayers of Concretions Words descend or ascend, depending how you look at it, through various layersWords descend or ascend, depending how you look at it, through various layers of concretions, ranging from the purely abstract and sublime, on the one end,of concretions, ranging from the purely abstract and sublime, on the one end, to the fully concrete and tangible on the other. To exemplify this concept, we will trance,to the fully concrete and tangible on the other. To exemplify this concept, we will trance, the concept of desk through its stratification process.the concept of desk through its stratification process.
- 19. Once spoken speech became encoded into a symbolic form - writing - literacy was born. Read and writing are bound to each other. In order to read, something, first, must be written. In order to be utilized, writing must be read. Although a huge technological jump, as humans could now permanently record things, writing, however, brought a new layer of abstraction and set of rules. Learning these is the purpose of this course. Literacy BeginsLiteracy Begins