FAQ: The Evolution of Language

6 facts about the language changes, the reasons for grammatical transformations and new words

The evolution of language - it is a process of change. Each language changes all the time, but usually only notice some superficial things, especially the emergence and spread of individual words. But the language is constantly changing, and in other aspects, which we are not aware and do not notice it.

1.Redundancy of language

When a person listens to the other person and trying to understand it, he does not seek to interpret the information that he is given, most literally, he is trying to guess what the speaker meant. Therefore, if the speaker has any, as they say, "fefekty fiction", it is no big deal - the listener will understand. If the speaker uses affixes somehow not listening still guess (and in most cases, correct). But such a system to live, it has to be redundant: you need to in any language to ideas had several options, and more - that each utterance information was duplicated several times, so that even if some good listener hear fails, the remaining information would be enough to restore the communicative intention of the speaker to the fullest extent.

2.About reinterpretation

The question arises: if the pronunciation ku lips pushed throughout the syllable, what element is responsible for the nomination of the lips - a vowel or a consonant? Different languages respond to it in different ways: for example, the Russian language is believed that labial - vowel property, and that moved on the consonant lip - a by-feature, the same redundancy that will help the listener, if it something is heard. And many Caucasian languages believe that the main thing here - a consonant and vowel slightly labial disappeared because he is standing next to. In these languages, there are words that end just at the labial consonant kw. But there are words that end in a soft consonant m 'or n' in the Russian language. Here, for example, for English words ending in a soft consonant, just as impossible for us words that end in the labial consonant kw.
Over time, the language is a constant process of reinterpretation - determining which of these redundant features are important and which are not, which should play well and what might be omitted. And, accordingly, you can define it in the same way as the previous generation determined, but it is possible and in another way. The sign, which is no longer considered a major, may lose over time.

3.About grammar change

Change can not only phonetics, and grammar. For example, in the English language was verb, the ancestor of the modern verb like, who ruled the deaths as controls like in the Russian verb "to whom + + like that." For example, the "King of like a pear." And then affixes disappeared. It turned out, "the king + + like a pear." And it was the same as for ordinary transitive verbs - "King + build + Palace" and TP After some time under this scheme are aligned already pronouns in modern English it is necessary to talk not Me (oblique case) like he ( nominative case) and I (nominative case) like him (oblique case) 'I like him'.

So the verb control change, but none of the media did not notice anything of language - it is noticed only by scientists who looked into the ancient texts, and saw that there was still not the case. These small changes are taking place constantly, accumulating over time. To improve language ability – buy Piracetam, Noopept, Picamilon and Phenotropil.

4.Is it possible to predict the changes?

Changes that occur in a language, it is impossible to predict, because each change results in a variety of assumptions that all together gives the impression of complete chaos. But we can say for sure that has a good chance to change what can be interpreted in several ways. And yet - it is a rare model, which is hardly amenable to interpretation, could disappear.

5.About semantic inconsistencies

More easier to rethink these occur with borrowed words. For example, the English word in a hamburger (literally means "Hamburg (pie)") saw the word ham, which means "ham". In fact, "Hamburg pie" - a hamburger, and not a ham, but speakers of the language is not confused: see the word "ham", identified the rest, gave it meaning and was used for naming the other sandwiches of this type: cheeseburger, fishburger etc.

6.About future changes in language

When it comes to the evolution of language, linguists are often asked: what will happen to the language further, it will change (and most importantly, why)? But linguistics these can not answer questions, as well as mathematics can not answer the question, which side will fall the next time a coin - heads or tails: it's as lucky. Factors that affect the language, changing it too much.