Not just the field of biology:
Could Darwin have been a linguist?
"The theory of evolution may have been developed within the field of biology, but other disciplines have both contributed to and benefited from Darwin's unique work. This theory could just as easily have come from another field," says linguist Jan Terje Faarlund.
Jan Terje Faarlund. Photo: UiO
"Biological evolution is just one example of evolution. We find similar evolutionary processes when we look at languages. And we know that Darwin was inspired by linguists' concept of language families when he created his genealogical trees for species," states Faarlund, who believes that linguistics can play a part in understanding evolutionary theory.
Not just culture
One prevalent opinion within linguistics has been that language is no more than culture. But over the past few years linguists have been concerned with the question of how it is possible that a human child can learn such complex structures as grammar, at a time when the child's other skills have only barely begun to develop.
(Photo: Shutterstock)
Some believe this ability must be based on something other than cultural learning. "The dominant trend in the field of modern theoretical linguistics, also known as generative grammar, is based on the assumption that acquiring language is an innate human ability. The founder of this theory, Noam Chomsky, believes that the ability to acquire language can be compared to an organ - a mental organ. The organ is not fully developed at birth, but the disposition is innate and evolves under the influence of external circumstances," explains Faarlund.
Faarlund works at the Centre for the Study of Mind in Nature, a Centre of Excellence (CoE) at the University of Oslo. Working with philosophers and geneticists he is engaged in the search for answers to the secrets of human language. This interdisciplinary research area, known as biolinguistics, has taken off internationally. In Norway it is relatively new.
Sweet talking their way into bed?
No fossils exist that can tell us about language. So nobody can say for sure how language originated. The prevailing theory is that language evolved when Homo sapiens as a species came into existence, and that since that time there have not been any fundamental changes in language," states Faarlund.
But why is the language of humans so much more complicated than those of other species? This is where the researchers apply evolutionary theory.
(Photo: Shutterstock)
One theory is that those people who had the most advanced language survived. According to Faarlund, it was - then, as now - those who were best at "sweet talking their way into bed", who had most offspring.
"But, although appealing, this explanation has several weaknesses. Amongst other things we know that a more complex language does not necessarily ease communication between people. Another, perhaps more likely, explanation is that a mutation took place when Homo sapiens came into existence. The cerebral cortex grew, making it possible for Homo sapiens to develop a more complicated language, better suited to social interaction," says Faarlund.
Survival of the fittest
The researchers believe that there have been no fundamental changes in our language since that time. But the changes that have come about can be explained using evolution theory. "Even though language cannot be compared with species, Darwin's theory of natural selection can also be applied to language. For a language to survive it must be handed down from one generation to the next. In this respect you can say that a form of natural selection takes place," says Faarlund.
Breaking down barriers between disciplines
"If we are to increase our knowledge of the origins and evolution of man, we are dependent on knowledge from many fields of study. The Centre for the Study of Mind in Nature has set itself the task of dismantling the barriers between disciplines and holds interdisciplinary seminars, on subjects such as language and evolution," Faarlund goes on.
"The object of study for generative linguistics is not primarily sounds or the written word, but the ability all people have to learn languages. This ability is found inside the human brain. That is why we need to cooperate with brain scientists and biologists if we are to understand the real essence of language. I believe that the dividing lines between the humanities and natural science have been far too rigid. With our research we are seeking to break them down," Faarlund concludes.
- Published:
- 04.03.2009
- Last updated:
- 04.03.2009
