Understanding the Origins and Features of Human Language

Divine Source: Human language is a gift from God. Language learning involves acquiring knowledge through formal instruction and conscious comprehension. Acquisition refers to non-conscious assimilation.

Natural Sound Source: Primitive words could have been imitations of the natural sounds that early men and women heard around them. Nature and animal sounds are the starting points of linguistic systems.

Social Interaction Source: Y0 - HE - HO (theory): Sound emerges after a physical effort. The development of human language occurs within a social context, highlighting the necessity to communicate with others.

Physical Adaptation Source: Human physical postures contribute to language. The vocal tract of gorillas and Neanderthals differs from that of humans. Human teeth produce sounds like 'f' and 'v', while human lips create sounds like 'p', 'b', and 'm'. The human mouth, with its tongue, produces sounds like 'l' and 'r', and the human larynx functions as a vocal box for vowels. The human pharynx acts as a resonator.

The Tool-Making Source: When hands are occupied with tools, humans are less able to use hand gestures, making speech a necessity. The lateralized brain indicates that each hemisphere has a specific function: the left hemisphere controls motor functions and language, while the right hemisphere is responsible for creativity and perception.

Genetic Source: We are born with the capacity to speak, but humans need stimulation and exposure to develop language. Newborns require exposure to language to develop their linguistic skills.

Reflexivity: We can discuss our communication.

Displacement: This refers to the capability of talking about the past, present, and future, as well as different locations.

Arbitrariness: The linguistic system consists of two components: the signifier (sound) and the signified (a mental representation of the signifier).

Productivity: This is the ability to create an infinite number of structures. Animal language has limitations, while human language can create new words.

Cultural Awareness: We acquire language through exposure; it is not solely determined by our genes.

Duality: The combination and order of words convey different meanings, involving not only phonemes but also their arrangement.

Phonology: This is essentially the description of the system and patterns of speech sounds in a language.

Phonemes: An essential property of a phoneme is that it functions contrastively.

Phones: These are very specific sounds.

Allophones: When we have a set of phones, all of which are variations of one phoneme.