Language evolves for many reasons, but the main reason its evolution is to establish memberships among groups in order to distinguish between a friend and a foe. According to Robin Dunbar, languages were invented to exclude the outsider. If non-members are blocked from comprehending and communicating with members, then people can distinguish those within the same group from those of another (Dunbar 2003).
In order to better understand how language spreads to different regions, it should be orgainized into two categories: the mosaic zone and the spread zone. The mosaic zone is an area of different languages due to constant and rapid changes, such as the changes seen from one generation to the next, from one village to another, and from different variations of dialects in nearby regions. Spread zone is a large area dominated by a single language.
In a spread zone, a large group of territorial people occupies a region and causes trouble for those crossing their land. As time passes by, differences arise among different groups from different regions, giving rise to a mosaic zone. Moreover, when different groups of people occupy neighboring regions, diversity among groups causes the regions to differentiate according to language differences. Finally, as diversity leads to dissimilarity, different groups of people demonstrate hostility towards each other. Therefore, one group may feel the need to block another group from interfering with its group.
Once a mosaic zone is established, it can be reverted back to a spread zone in three ways: climatic disaster, transition to agriculture, and warfare (Wade, 2006). First, when a large land mass is destroyed by disaster, the new population colonizing the area will create a spread zone of its own language. According to Colin Renfrew and Peter Bellwood, as agriculture develops, a population expands outward and spreads language along with its expansion (Renfrew & Bellwood, 2003). Warfare, the driving force of spread zone, occurs whenever conflict arises. The victory group will dominate the conquered area with its language.
As human kind evolves, so do our anatomy, culture, and language. There are at least 6,000 different forms of languages around the globe. The varieties are thought to derive from a common root. If this is so, then it is possible to trace back the route of human expansion from 50,000 years ago until its current state.
Reference
Dunbar, R. M. I. (2003). Language evolution. In M. H. Christiansen & N.D. Simon Kirby, The origin and subsequent evolution of language (p. 231). Oxford University Press.
Diamond, J., & Bellwood, P. (2003). Farmers and their languages: The first expansions. Science, 300, 597-603.
Wade, N. (2006). Before the Dawn. In language spread zone and mosaic zones, p 206. New York, NY: Penguin Books.
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This chapter about languages was really an enjoyable read. Particularly interesting was the first point you brought up about language evolving to establish membership in a group as well as distinguishing between friend or foe. From Wade, it can be said that dialects of a main language perform many tasks such as security and defense reasons, making it easy to identify locals from nonlocals and even which generation you are. It's basically a "badge of identity" My mom used to tell me that even though she was born in raised in Hong Kong, if she went back the locals would immediately know she hasn't lived alot of her life there because she's been away for a few decades. Also, this idea of grouping yourself with those you identify with while ostracizing those who don't speak the language is very common...such as suddenly switching to another language to talk badly about someone who is present but doesn't understand.
ReplyDeletethough I wouldn't have guessed about the "foe" where it described the italians killing the french when they couldn't say ceci correctly.
I also learned about the spread zone and mosaic zone concepts as it really really puts together how some regions have so many languages and dialects when others have so few. I've never given it much thought but it's definitely good to know now. i'm curious as to how pidgin and creole would fit in here?
good choice for your article ^_^
Before reading Wade's chapter on Language, I would have just assumed that language was created solely as a means of communication and understanding between human beings. It was interesting to learn, however, that one of the main purposes of language was not for communication, but for security. "Given the incessant warfare between early human groups, a highly variable language would have served to exclude outsiders and identify strangers the moment they opened their mouths" (Wade 104).
ReplyDeleteI think you did a good job of summarizing both language spread zones and mosaic zones, but I think it also would have been beneficial to provide modern or historical examples of each. I think a big part of Wade's section on language zoning was based off of the idea of conflict and power between people groups, and I think it would be cool to hear more focused information on that. Good job though!