Culture & Technology

Exploring the Capacity of Human Language

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The capacity of human language to communicate is said to be one of the most remarkable aspects of the human species. Yet, what is so special about humans and language? And are humans and animals so different in terms of language and communication? Let us figure out together the answers to these questions.

 

man with his hand on his ear listening to letters coming from outside

 

Origins of Human Brain Language

Language plays a vital role when it comes to human social development. Moreover, we would not be able to learn from history if we could not speak. However, have you ever asked yourself how the language has originated?

 

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Research shows that there is no definite answer to the question above. According to the divine theory, God might have offered language as a gift to mankind. On the other hand, numerous scientists support the idea of evolutionary development.

For instance, it is well known that the two brain hemispheres have different functions. The left one controls language and object manipulations. So, since early humans used to make tools, they might have contributed to the development of human language technology.

 

people sitting in a row in colorful clothes communicating via technology holding laptops and mobile phones in their hands

 

Another thesis is all about genetics. Most children easily acquire the language they are most exposed to. Therefore, the capacity of human language might be innate.

 

man and a woman sitting on a couch communicating with hand gestures and signs

 

What is the First Human Language on Earth?

It is not that easy to identify the oldest language on Earth, either. Chances are that the first language is highly likely Proto-Afro-Asiatic. This might be so because numerous modern languages have a common ancestor dating back 15,000 years.

 

effective communication two women sitting across a table in front of a large window talking

 

On the other hand, Egyptian is the language with the longest written history. And Tamil (Singhi), as well as Greek are old languages that are still spoken today and are called the same way as a long time ago.

two colorful birds on a wooden branch

 

Difference between Human and Animal Communication Language

What makes human language unique among other forms of animal communication? The answer is simple. Human language is compositional. This means that unlike animals we can use objects, subjects, and verbs to build complex sentences.

 

holi festival people of india singing and covered in colorful dyes

 

Moreover, we, humans, recognize the present, past, and future. This allows us to use different tenses. Moreover, we use language to exchange information with each other about locations, objects, and other people.

In comparison, non-human animal communication lacks any formal grammatical structure. It includes repetitive instrumental acts that aim at a specific end. So, creativity is not one of its characteristics.

 

Best friends human hand holding the paw of a dog

 

To sum up, the capacity of human language to communicate is truly impressive. We might not be the only species that is able to use language. Nevertheless, we are one of the most evolved ones in this regard. We wish you all the best and hope that you found this article insightful.

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