The Evolution The Evolution of the of the

Technology of Technology of LanguageLanguage

Primitive humans used symbolic languages that were a combination of sounds (phonemes) and gestures

(cheremes).

Early LanguageEarly Language

CheremesCheremesMany animals sign or gesture ideas and actions that communicate meaning, in other words, language. Some Native

Americans tribes and deaf people use a mechanical sign language to communicate. Also, anyone cutting off someone on the freeway or watching animal mating rituals, such as a male peacock fanning out his tail feathers to a hen, has seen

gestured communication. These units of meaning in a gestural language are known as cheremes.

Vowel SoundsVowel SoundsIn conjunction with gestures, the first sounds to be produced

were the vowel sounds. These are the simplest of sounds as they are produced

by pushing air up through the vocal cords, unrestricted and unmanipulated by

anything in the throat or mouth.

ConsonantsConsonantsIn conjunction with gestures, the first sounds to be produced

were the vowel sounds. These are the simplest of sounds as they are produced by

pushing air up through the vocal cords, unrestricted or unmanipulated by

anything in the throat or mouth.

PhonemesPhonemesThe most basic element of any language is its sound system.

The human speech apparatus is capable of producing about 200 or so

distinct sounds. These can and are combined in many different ways to produce audible communication. Linguists call

these basic, contrastive units of sound- phonemes.

MorphemesMorphemesA morpheme is the smallest “atom” of a language carrying

meaning. Morphemes,comprised of phonemes, or distinct units of sound, differs from

the concept of “word”, which are also morphemes. The great majority of

morphemes cannot stand alone and need to be “bound” to linguistic elements that

can stand alone as the “s” in making plurals, prefixes, suffixes, definite articles

such as “a” and “the”, etc.

Unbound Morphemes (Words)Unbound Morphemes (Words)Words are morphemes that can stand on their own such as, “unbreakable”. This consists

of three morphemes, “un”, “break”, and “able”. All three of these units have meaning. Only one, “break,” can stand freely on its own without being bound to something else. Therefore,

linguistically, these are known as unbound or “free” morphemes. Here, we enter the realm of words and grammar, an area that is familiar to any person who speaks a language.

Action Words (Verbs)Action Words (Verbs)The first rudimentary, pre-sentences were most likely likely an

action word, what we call “verbs”, and some sort of gesture indicating, “to

where”, “to who”, or “to what”. Words such as “run”, “eat”, “sit”, “go” were probably some of

the first concepts spoken.

““Actor” Words (Nouns)Actor” Words (Nouns)The next major technological development in language was the addition of someone

or something that was the perpetrator of the action symbolized in the action word.

In later studies of grammar, this perpetrator or “actor” is what came to be called a noun, and everything attached to it was called the subject, and as every grade student knows, had to be married to the action word and everything attached to it,

known as the predicate.

Early Sentences and their FunctionsEarly Sentences and their Functions The result of adding an actor word (noun) and an action word (verb) was the first sentences. These sentences, like tools, could be used to accomplish certain tasks and effect human conditions. Imperative - are used for commands. Examples: “You come.", “You run.“ Declarative - are used to form statements. Examples: “I am.", “Deer come.“ Interrogative - are used to ask questions. Examples: “I eat?", “You go?"

Increasing ComplexityIncreasing ComplexityOver time, new advances occurred - adjectives were invented (green, heavy, rickety,etc.),

direct and indirect objects were discovered ( I hit you, You threw the stone at me), adverbs came into being (rapidly, consequently, very, etc.) and sentences evolved that were

used to indicate dependencies between events or conditions ("If you go, I go.“). Sentences grew in complexity and became

capable of completing heavier and more difficult tasks.

Compound SentencesCompound SentencesSimple sentences evolved to have multiple independent clauses, but still no dependent clauses

I eat, and you sleep.

The Freedom Riders departed on May 4, 1961, and they were determined to travel through many southern states.

You went to the stores, and I went to the moviesYou went to the stores, and I went to the movies

Complex SentencesComplex SentencesSentences further evolved to contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause

Although my friend invited me to a party, I do not want to go.

When I thought about it, although I was happy, I stayed home.

When I fly, after eating, when the plane tips, I get sick if I have not taken my medicine.

Complex Compound SentencesComplex Compound SentencesSentences finally evolved to have multiple independent

clauses and at least one dependent clauseWith her reputation on the line, Peggy played against a fierce opponent at the scrabble competition, and overcoming nerve-racking

competition, she won the game with one well-placed word.Catch-22 is widely regarded as Joseph Heller’s best novel, and because Heller served in World War II, which the novel satirizes, the

zany and suave wit of the novel packs an extra punch.

Complex OratoryComplex OratoryThe evolutionary process brings us to complex oratory, which uses many sentence types, bringing further complexity and

giving life and rhythm. Long sentences work well for information, and short sentences emphasize crucial points. When arriving at the airport, the Winslow family found carvings in the

lobby, and they found wall hangings in the gift shop. “Hurrah,” they said. Then, the family boarded their aircraft for the flight home. They all remarked to each other that their trip had been a success, and they decided that they would go again next year.

Purposes of CommunicationsPurposes of CommunicationsTo Inform- newspapers, memorandums, textbooks

To Record - minutes, history, incident reports, case notes

To Persuade- advertising, political commentary,

To Entertain- satire, plays, film scripts, novels

Layers of ConcretionsLayers of ConcretionsWords descend or ascend, depending how you look at it, Words descend or ascend, depending how you look at it, through various layers through various layers

of concretions, ranging from the purely abstract and sublime, of concretions, ranging from the purely abstract and sublime, on the one end, on the one end,

to the fully concrete and tangible on the other. To exemplify to the fully concrete and tangible on the other. To exemplify this concept, we will trance, this concept, we will trance,

the concept of desk through its stratification process.the concept of desk through its stratification process.

Once spoken speech became encoded into a symbolic form - writing - literacy was born. Read and

writing are bound to each other. In order to read, something, first, must be written. In order to be utilized, writing must be read. Although a huge

technological jump, as humans could now permanently record things, writing, however, brought a new layer of abstraction and set of rules. Learning

these is the purpose of this course.

Literacy BeginsLiteracy Begins