Comments on: Language evolution http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/02/01/language-evolution/ language-related musings - one language is never enough / dydy un iaith byth yn ddigon Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:46:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 by: Joel Linton http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/02/01/language-evolution/#comment-68743 Wed, 06 Feb 2008 06:02:38 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/02/01/language-evolution/#comment-68743 I see an accumulation of information and vocabulary, often from borrowing, or coining, but at the same time a degeneration of complexity and beauty in grammar, and expressiveness of fine shades of emotional meaning. (Not quite to the extreme of pidgin, but in that direction on the continuum.) Are there counter-examples? Classical Greek to Koine Greek to Modern Greek Old-English to Modern English Classical Chinese to Mandarin (You can still see a higher degree expressive beauty, complexity and word usage in older Chinese languages like Taiwanese, Cantonese or Hakka). I guess when people feel the need to express something, then they will come up with a word for it. But at the same time, there are major grammatical and inflectional complexities in more ancient languages that seem to be dimished in modern ones. Perhaps great literary/cultural tranforming creative geniuses help to reset the clock? What role does education policy play in the evolution of languages? I see an accumulation of information and vocabulary, often from borrowing, or coining, but at the same time a degeneration of complexity and beauty in grammar, and expressiveness of fine shades of emotional meaning. (Not quite to the extreme of pidgin, but in that direction on the continuum.) Are there counter-examples?

Classical Greek to Koine Greek to Modern Greek
Old-English to Modern English
Classical Chinese to Mandarin (You can still see a higher degree expressive beauty, complexity and word usage in older Chinese languages like Taiwanese, Cantonese or Hakka).

I guess when people feel the need to express something, then they will come up with a word for it. But at the same time, there are major grammatical and inflectional complexities in more ancient languages that seem to be dimished in modern ones.

Perhaps great literary/cultural tranforming creative geniuses help to reset the clock?

What role does education policy play in the evolution of languages?

]]> by: Sion, Aberystwyth http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/02/01/language-evolution/#comment-68470 Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:52:50 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/02/01/language-evolution/#comment-68470 did this happen with the development of Anglo-Saxon into 'English' within a few generations? did this happen with the development of Anglo-Saxon into ‘English’ within a few generations?

]]> by: timoth http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/02/01/language-evolution/#comment-68237 Sun, 03 Feb 2008 04:26:35 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/02/01/language-evolution/#comment-68237 Didn't that happen with William Shakesphere ? There are so many words he created, in his stories, poems, and Theatrical Plays - that it's not even funny. Didn’t that happen with William Shakesphere ?

There are so many words he created, in his stories, poems, and Theatrical Plays - that it’s not even funny.

]]> by: Nik http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/02/01/language-evolution/#comment-68074 Sat, 02 Feb 2008 00:35:47 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/02/01/language-evolution/#comment-68074 It seems that grammatical traits can evolve in bursts, too. My personal theory is that, as a language gradually evolves, it acquires an increasing number of irregularities, special cases, idiosyncratic expressions, gramtical gaps, and the like, until it reaches a critical level, at which point, the language beings to "repair" itself, setting in motion further changes as the new structures conflict with older elements. It seems that grammatical traits can evolve in bursts, too. My personal theory is that, as a language gradually evolves, it acquires an increasing number of irregularities, special cases, idiosyncratic expressions, gramtical gaps, and the like, until it reaches a critical level, at which point, the language beings to “repair” itself, setting in motion further changes as the new structures conflict with older elements.

]]>