1. Unit 2 Language Origins and Language Evolution

2. Language origins Common development of human kind and language At least, last 100 000 years Homo sapiens uses language Development of speech organs (secondary function)

3. Language origins Since the 19th century most linguists considered this question as one that is forever beyond the scope of scientific investigation Language first developed as a gestural system; then converted into a vocal system and increased in vocabulary Language evolved from non-language

4. Language univesrals Language universals: characteristics common to all natural languages Proto-language – carrier of these language universals

5. Language univesrals Some language universals: All languages have vowels and consonants; Through development voiceless consonants become voiced; Syllabic structure: consonant followed by vowel; If a language has gender, it must have number as well;

6. Classifications of languages Genetic (based on time) – language families Areal (based on space) – language associations Typological (based on similarities and differences in language structure) – language types Functional (based on comparison of languages according to their communication and social roles)

7. Periods in the development of English –Old English (OE) – from approximately 700 to 1100 (rather unintelligible to the modern speaker); –Middle English (ME) – from 1100 to 1450 (understandable in print, but not when spoken); –Early Modern English (eModE) – from 1450 to 1600 (quite similar to contemporary English, with some lexical and grammatical differences); –Present-day English (PresE) – from approximately 1600.