Language and Communication

ELA 9

How do we communicate?

Origins All animals are social and have the ability to

communicate with each other, but only humans have been able to develop language.

The beginnings to speech, about 200,000 years ago, may have developed as a result of a mutation in the FOXP2 gene.

A language must have symbols (ex: alphabet) and grammar rules.

There are over 5,000 different languages in the world today (1/3 in Africa). The language are classified by scholars in about 20

groups. Many different languages developed from one ancestor

language and have similar sounds, words, and grammar. Language allowed humans to transmit their history,

culture, and technology to future generations. First orally, later written language.

Methods of communication Symbols Cave Paintings (Oldest: Chauvet Cave, France

about 30,000 BC) Petroglyphs (Carvings in rock surface, about

10,000 BC) Pictograms (ex: Hieroglyphics, Cuneiform) Ideograms (ex: Chinese) Writing (using Pictographs or script, etc.). Body Language Sign Language

Body Language

Sign Language

Cave Paintings

Symbols

Chinese Character Development

Cuneiform (Mesopotamia) and Hieroglyphics (Egypt)

Western Alphabet

Epic of Gilgamesh The Epic of Gilgamesh

is the oldest known, written story.

Mesopotamia: Sumer Story describes the

ideal king Written in Cuneiform –

the oldest written language. Wedge shaped

characters on clay tablets.