LANGUAGE, CULTURE, AND SOCIETY GROUP 3 LANGUAGE AND CULTURE Accounts on the origin of language Basic Facts about language 1.Language was spoken not written 2.This made us understand our ancestors lifestyle 3.Language is evolutionary and not static 4.Language differentiates man from other animal species IMPORTANT THEORIES BASED ON THE ORIGINS OF LANGUAGE 1.The Bow-Wow Theory 2. The Ding-Dong Theory 3. The Pooh-Pooh Theory 4. The Gesture Theory -It was restated by Sir Richard Paget in his book "Human Speech" -Signs and gestures were the earliest methods of communication. It was natural and spontaneous BIBLICAL ACCOUNTS Biblical Origin in Language The bible doesn't describe an original development of language. Rather, language is shown to be a trait of God himself. Another significant biblical point about language is that God allowed man flexibility and creativity in developing his vocabulary, in coining new words. The Biblical view explains not only why all mankind (and only mankind) has language, but also why mankind universally shares the smaller unique aspects of language. This explains early major changes in languages and existence of "language isolates" - languages with no known connection to our development from other language. The biblical accounts explains why language is exclusively human and why it is hardwired into our brains and vocals anatomy; because God deliberately designed it as such. 1.The Bow-wow theory This theory tells how the earliest speech was produced by imitating the characteristic sound of a creature or object which the person was referring to. 2.The Ding-Dong Theory This is based on the notion that people react to the world and make sound symbolism. 3.The Pooh-Pooh Theory - This arose with the idea that people make instinctive sounds -This theory is related to emotional interjections evoked by pain, surprise, pleasure, wonder, etc. 4. The Gesture Theory This theory was advanced by Wilhelm Wundt. MYTHOLOGICAL ACCOUNT MYTHOLOGICAL ORIGIN IN LANGUAGE There are countless theories about the origin of human language even if many linguists and scientists in the past have claimed the search for the seed of thet human. Language grew to be a fruitless one. THE MYTH ABOUT THE LANGUAGE THE TOWER OF BABEL. ✓ Possibly the most well-known myth, at least where Judaism and Christianity are common, is that found in the Hebrew Bible specifically on Genesis. ✓ According to this story, the reason there are different languages in different areas in the world is because of this language confusion and dispersion of the population. THE HINDU WORLD TREE ✓ According to the Hindu myth, there was once a very tall tree that grew out from the very center of the earth. It was called the "WORLD TREE" or "KNOWLEDGE TREE" and grew so tall so that it almost reach the heaven. primate ancestors used to communicate with each other. ✓ The God Brahma discovered the tree's intentions and as punishments for it being so proud, he cut off all the tree's branches and scattered them all over the world. 3. • Another theory proposes that language evolved as a byproduct of other cognitive abilities, such as the ability to think abstractly or to use tools. THE DEATH OF WURRURI ✓ An original tribe from Southern Australia has a rather gruesome myth regarding why we don't all speak the same language. ✓ This, the different aboriginal tribes and their languages were a product of eating a different body part. HISTORICAL ACCOUNT Historical Origin Account of Language • The language dates back to roughly 150,000 years ago. However, all the linguistic evidence dates back to around 6,000 years ago, when writing began. EARLY HISTORY • For centuries, human have wandered about the origins of language and get nobody is any the wiser due to lack of agreement on the topic as well as the evidence. • The lack of evidence has meant that many experts shy away from this subject. In fact in 1866, The Linguistic Society of Paris banned any debates on the topic. The historical account of the origin of language is difficult to trace because there are no written records that date back to the time when language first emerged. However, there are some clues that can be gleaned from archaeological and anthropological evidence. SCIENTIFIC ACCOUNT Scientific Origin of Language • Linguistic is the science of language and linguist are scientists who apply the scientific method to questions about the nature and the function of language. • Linguist conduct formal studies of speech sounds, grammatical structures and meaning across all the world’s over 6,000 languages. The origin of language is a topic that has fascinated scientists for centuries. While there is no definitive answer, there are several theories and hypotheses that attempt to explain how language may have originated.; • One theory suggests that language evolved from a complex system of vocalizations and gestures that our • Another hypothesis suggests that language may have originated as a way for early humans to establish social bonds and cooperate with each other. LANGUAGE ORIGIN HYPOTHESES BY OTTO JESPERSON OTTO JESPERSON His full name is Jens Otto Harry Jesperson Born in july 16, 1860 at renardks, Denmark and died on April 30, 1943 He was a linguist and a foremost authority on English Grammar Otto Jesperson helped to revolutionized language teaching in Europe, contributed greatly to the advancement of phonetics, linguistic theory, and the history of English, and originated an International language. Five language theories/hyphotheses 1. The bow-wow - According to this theory, language began when our ancestors started imitating the natural sound around them. What is wrong with this? Relatively few words are onomatopoeic, and their words vary from one language to another. 2. The Ding-dong - The theory favored Plato and Pythagoras, maintains that speech arose in response to the essential qualities of objects in the environment. - What is wrong with this? A part from rare instances of sound symbolism, there is no persuasive evidence, in any language of an innate connection between sound and meaning. 3. The La-La - This theory suggested by Otto Jesperson, the Danish Linguist. - What is wrong with this? As David Crystal notes in “How Languages Work” this theory is fail to account for. 4. The Pooh-Pooh - In this theory holds that speech began with interjections. - What is wrong with this? No language contain very many interjections, and Crystal points out, the clicks make of breath, and other noises which are used in this way bear little relationship to the vowels and consonant found in Phonology. 5. The yo-he-ho - According to this theory, language evolved from the grunts, groans, and snorts evoked by heavy physical labor. - What is wrong with this? - Through this notion may account for some rhythmic features of languages, it doesn’t go very far in explaining where words came from. SEMIOTICS OR SIGN LANGUAGE WHAT IS SEMIOTICS AND HOW IT IS RELATED TO SIGN-LANGUAGE? —The word "semiotics," also called "semiology," is derived from the Greek words "semeio" (interpreter of sign) and "tekos" (pertaining to) and refers to the study of signs and sign-using behavior (a system of communication using visual gestures, bodily movements, and symbols). There are two PROMINENT PROPONENTS OF SEMIOTIC THEORY namely: 1. Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913) 2. Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914) Ferdinand de Saussure’s Theory of Sign: •Ferdinand de Saussure, defined semiotics, as the study of the "the life of signs within society. •He has proposed the term ‘semiology'. •According to him, semiotics is the study of signs. In language, signs are part of the existing structure that we use to communicate. That structure is called "la langue" (the set of language rules that every speaker understands, including how to make sounds into words and words into sentences). Each sign is made up of the signifier (the physical sign) and the signified (the concept). Each time we speak a signifier, that speech act is an instance of "la parole" (the actual utterance of a word made by a person). •Conceptually, the principal concept of Saussure’s theory initiated from the thought of a dichotomy or duality basis in which according to him, a sign consists of two focal components, namely: 1. Signifier-the sound pattern or the physical sign (marker- sound image). 2. Signified-the concept (the outcome/the interpretation/conception of the signifier). —Meanwhile, the relationship between the signifier and signified is refered to as the signification system. •Saussure’s theory claimed that "language does not reflect reality but rather constructs it" because we do not only use language or give meaning to anything that exists in the world of reality but also to anything that does not exist in it. — It is a branch of the study of culture that explores signs and sign system as modes of communication and how the meaning of signs and symbols are encoded and decoded. •According to Saussure and his theory, nothing is a sign unless it is interpreted as a sign. —An expert in semiotics is called a "semiotician." Charles Sanders Peirce’s Theory of Sign: SEMIOTICS THEORY •Charles Sanders Peirce defined semiotics as an account of the signification, representation, reference, and meaning of signs. —Semiotics theory provides a framework for understanding how humans use signs to make meaning of the world around them. —Its origins lie in the academic study of how signs and symbols (visual and linguistic) create meaning. •Peirce employed the word semiotic. •Peirce’s theory of signs focuses on a threedimensional, or triadic, and trichotomic system. Peirce classifies sign into three aspects, namely, sign, object, and interpretant. 1. Sign or representatum or ground -The first aspect is synonymous with Saussure’s concept termed as signifier which means physical signs (explicitly exist) but does not have to be material in nature, meaning does not only have to be visual, but also aural and sonic. 2. Object -This refers to something that is represented or exemplified by the sign, which owns both properties of concrete and abstract in nature. 3. Interpretant Means any meanings conveyed by the represantatum about the object which was previously unknown and abstract in nature (implicitly exist) and does not exist in human perception —The interactional relationship between those three concepts is denoted by Peirce as semiosis (Chandler, 2002). •The basic principle of Peirce’s theory is that everything can be a sign, as long as it has the ability to represent something according to the individual’s interpretation and thought. Moreover, Peirce did not confine the existence of sign as something that is purposely conveyed PURPOSE OF SEMIOTICS AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN HUMAN'S EVERYDAY LIVES: The purpose of semiotics is to understand how people create and interpret the meaning of signs and symbols, including how they visually communicate through metaphor, analogy, allegory, metonymy, symbolism, and other means of expression. Its significance is that semiotics is a key tool to ensure that intended meanings (of, say, a piece of communication or a new product) are unambiguously understood by the person on the receiving end. Symptoms refer to indicators or manifestations of an underlying problem or issue. In language, it is used to describe behaviours or characteristics that suggest a particular problem. EXAMPLE: Someone who frequently interrupts others during a conversation may be exhibiting symptoms of poor listening skills or a lack of social awareness Signal is a sound, gesture, or other type of action that is used to convey a specific message or meaning. For example: A raised tone at the end of a sentence can signal a question or uncertainty, while a lowered tone can signal confidence or assertiveness. Sign language and Finger spelling Sign language - is a system of communication using visual gestures and signs, as used by deaf people. (Oxford languages) Sign language has three Varieties American Sign Language (ASL) - is a natural language that serves as the predominant sign language of Deaf communities in the United States of America British Sign Language (BSL) - is a sign language used in the United Kingdom, and is the first or preferred language among the Deaf community in the UK. Australian Sign Language (Auslan) - Auslan is the majority sign language of the Australian Deaf community. Finger Spelling - also known as dactylology, is the method of spelling words using hand movements. Finger spelling Vs. Sign Language ICON, INDEX, SYMPTOMS, SIGNAL Icon- Icons are visual representations that convey meaning through their resemblance to what they represent. Symbol- refers to a word, object, or gesture that represents a concept, idea, or object. Index - refers to a sign or indicator that points to or suggests something else. Finger spelling involves spelling out the letters of the alphabet.It is not a language of its own and does not have grammatical structures and syntax. On the other hand, sign language uses hand movements, facial expressions, and body language to communicate. We cannot use finger spelling as a substitute for sign language. It is used in signing but only for words that do not have a sign or when it is unknown. FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE (FSL) or Philippine Sign Language, is a form of manual and visual communication used by the deaf and those who are unable to speak in the Philippines. This is a vocabulary of signs and symbols communicated through the use of the hands of a person trained in this skill, particularly those who cannot hear and the mute, but also includes those who served as interpreters for this form of communication. FSL has a very strong influence from American Sign Language (ASL). Some Deaf even go as far as saying that only ASL is true sign language and FSL is just some kind of home gestures. Also there is a strong influence of Signing Exact English (SEE) which is used in most of the schools for the Deaf in this country. The Republic Act 11106 or The Filipino Sign Language Act, effective November 27, 2018, declared FSL as the national sign language of the Filipino Deaf. Republic Act No. 11106 or the Filipino Sign Language Act of 2018 declares the Filipino Sign Language (FSL) as the national sign language of the Philippines which shall be recognized, promoted, and supported as the medium of official communication in all transactions which involve the deaf in the Philippines, and as the language of instruction of deaf education, without prejudice to the use of other forms of communication depending on individual choice or preference. Here are 5 facts about Filipino Sign Language. 1. FSL is the natural language of communication used by the majority of Deaf Filipinos. 2. Filipino Sign Language is a visual language consisting of a combination of gestures, facial expressions, along with hand and body movements. 3. Filipino Sign Language is not the same as ASL or American Sign Language. 4. There is no universal sign language for Deaf individuals. 5. FSL does not have anything to do with spoken Filipino or Tagalog or with any other oral or written language. BENEFITS AND SIGNIFICANCE OF FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING FSL is definitely something of significance not only to the Deaf community but also to everyone else. There are many benefits of learning sign language, like being able to communicate despite wearing a face mask and shield. You can actually even use sign language with a hearing baby since they learn to sign with gestures before they learn how to speak. You can communicate with those who do not speak your spoken language by also using gestures. THREE THEORIES IN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE 1. Saphir-Whorf Hypothesis – Edward Sapir and his pupil Benjamin Lee Whorf developed the hypothesis that language influences thought rather than the reverse. The strong form of the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis claims that people from different cultures think differently because of differences in their languages. Example: An example of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis is how sexist language influences the way in which our society views men and women. For instance, we use words like 'fireman,' 'policeman,' and 'male nurse. Two components of Saphir-Whorf Hypothesis The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis can be divided into two basic components: Linguistic Determinism and Linguistic relativity -Linguistic determinism, refers to the concept that what is said, has only some effect on how concepts are recognized by the mind. This basic concept has been broken down even further into “strong” and “weak” determinism (The Sapir-Whorf Hypotheses, 2002, p.1). 2 concept of Linguistic determinism 1.Weak determinism - Weak determinism recognizes that there is indeed some effect on perception of one’s language, but that this is not as clear as in strong determinism. 2.Strong determinism -Strong determinism refers to a strict view that what is said is directly responsible for what is seen by the mind. Linguistic relativism -This part of the hypothesis can be defined: “distinctions encoded in one language are unique to that language along,” and that “there is no limit to the structural diversity of languages” (The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, p.1). As stated by Sapir himself: -Linguistic relativity opens the window to the realization that all languages do not translate to each other. 2. ETHNOPOETICS -Ethnopoetics is a method of recording textual versions of oral poetry and narrative performances, using poetic lines, verses and stanzas rather than paragraphs of prose to describe so It captures a formal and poetic performance element that would otherwise be lost. -The goal of any ethnopoetic text is to show how a unique oral performer's technique enhances the aesthetic value of a performance in a particular cultural context. Major contributors of the theory Dennis Tedlock -Dennis Tedlock notes that not only do pauses in oral performance indicate where poetic line breaks occur in written text relative to sheet music, but words on the page are more pronounced in spoken language performance. Arguing that it should be formatted to reflect its nuanced nature. Dell Hymes Dell Hymes believes that even previously dictated texts retain important structural patterns of poetic repetition that are the "why" narrators use pauses in their oral performances. Hymes' ethnopoetic theory focuses on the repetition of grammar and syntax in transcribed and translated texts, which he believes can still be analyzed and retranslated. AESTHETIC MOVEMENT OR ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE What is the nature of its use and function? Ethnopoetics as an Aesthetic movement Various other writers and poets can be said to have contributed to the field of ethnopoetics as an aesthetic movement. For example, Tristan Tzara created calligrams and William Bright worked with the Karuk tribe to preserve their native language. Ethnopoetics as an Academic discipline However, within the fields of linguistics, folkloristics, and anthropology, ethnopoetics refers to a particular method of analyzing the linguistic features and syntactical structures of oral literature in ways that pay attention to poetic patterns within speech. Final Findings Overall, ethnopoetics provides a framework for understanding the ways in which verbal art is used to express and reinforce cultural identity, and how it is shaped by the social and cultural contexts in which it is created and performed. 3. Oral-gesture theory by Richard Paget in the 1950s and 1960s. - reveals the origin of language as it suggests that the evolution of sounds involves a connection between physical gestures and orally produced sounds. - a set of physical gestures was developed as a mean of communication, then a set of oral gesture, specifically moving mouth, developed in which the movement of tongue, lips, an so on were recognized according to patterns of movements similar to physical gestures. Example: Instead of saying "goodbye" by waving a hand it is proposed that early humans started waving their tongues.
