A simple question - what came first: the utterance of words; or the thought of words?
It's a fair question, isn't it?
Now, I once asked a question regarding the origin of language, and unfortunately, some thought it to be etymology, which is less the origin and more the evolution. As for the origin of language (i.e. verbal communication), a problem is faced on both the level of the population and that of the individual.
In the individual, I'll ask another question - How do you think? I'm sure that the vast majority of you will, for the vast majority of the time, think in audio speech i.e. using words in whichever language(s) is/are dominant in your life. Without language, though, how would we think? Beyond sensory memory or distortion of said memory, 'thinking' in the traditional sense cannot be done without language. Therefore, for an individual to be able to vocalise a label for a pertinent object or concept within his/her existence (since that's all words are ultimately), he/she would have to be able to think first of said object/concept and then rationalise its label. But, inherently, rationalising labels requires language...
Therefore, and here's where I'm being an idiot:
1. What was the thought process by which the first user of 'words' gave voice to said words (regardless of what they were)?
& 2. How did he/she communicate their usefulness to his/her fellows who were still, as yet, 'wordless'?
Now, I once asked a question regarding the origin of language, and unfortunately, some thought it to be etymology, which is less the origin and more the evolution. As for the origin of language (i.e. verbal communication), a problem is faced on both the level of the population and that of the individual.
In the individual, I'll ask another question - How do you think? I'm sure that the vast majority of you will, for the vast majority of the time, think in audio speech i.e. using words in whichever language(s) is/are dominant in your life. Without language, though, how would we think? Beyond sensory memory or distortion of said memory, 'thinking' in the traditional sense cannot be done without language. Therefore, for an individual to be able to vocalise a label for a pertinent object or concept within his/her existence (since that's all words are ultimately), he/she would have to be able to think first of said object/concept and then rationalise its label. But, inherently, rationalising labels requires language...
Therefore, and here's where I'm being an idiot:
1. What was the thought process by which the first user of 'words' gave voice to said words (regardless of what they were)?
& 2. How did he/she communicate their usefulness to his/her fellows who were still, as yet, 'wordless'?
