What seperates us from our caveman ancestors of long ago? Is it fire? Or perhaps it is the nice houses and the fancy governments. In simple terms, language is what sets modern day society apart from a more primitive civilization.
Language can be both written and spoken. Spoken language sets humans apart from animals. Although animals are able to communicate danger, the desire to mate, ect., they are unable to truly express themselves in the way humans are. I have yet to have heard of a chimpanzee waxing poetically about his love as Shakespeare has. Nor have I ever seen a cat express rage and passion through words the way a human can.
Written language allows furthur development. It is written language that has allowed civilization to be created. You not only have spoken promises, but you have contracts and commitments that span years and eventually form civilization. Written language allows us to record and encode our past as well as present. We are able to take notes, create money, textbooks and tomes, and we are able to form a true civilization.
The dictionary will tell us that a civilization is defined as an advanced state of human society, in which a high level of culture, science, industry, and government has been reached. Language, both written and spoken, is what has allowed us to reach this advanced stage. Language has allowed us to progress past animals and develop beyond a primitive society. Language is the reason we are so advanced today.
It's the reason why apes and dolphins are considered in a higher teir of intelligence - they have a set pattern of communicative (five dollar word) expressions. Good Blog Natasha!
ReplyDeleteIt is weird to think about how evolved we are apart from our other animal relatives. My friend takes a class at college where he is learning the origin of our language as the human race. At some point, we were cavemen and couldn't communicate and look at us now.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to imagine that back then the human race communicate though drawings and a form of side-language. Today we have our own set of language, "English", that helps us communicate more effectively. Can you imagine what the world would be today if we still communicate like how we did back then? It would most likely be a disaster!
ReplyDeleteYou're insight of this topic is really great. You included details and examples that really backed your writing. I feel as though people often take language for granted and don't really think about it as one of the factors that separate us from the common monkey.
ReplyDeleteI thought this was a great and very insightful topic tasha! If you really think about how vast language has changed world wide, its astounding! Whether we speak Spanish, French, or English they are all forms of communication with all the virtually same meaning. Also your right about how the importantance of written language is in our world, think about all the history we could have lossed! Great job !
ReplyDeleteInteresting. Much has been written about this. Neil Postman writes that spoken language makes humans "space binders" in that speaking allows us to explain what's happening somewhere else -to connect space (here with there). Written language makes us "time binders" -gives us an accurate record of the past.
ReplyDeleteOdysseus lived in a pre-literate society. Think about how this affects the laws and behavior of the ancient Greeks.
Next time, see if you can tie in a little research.