How Language Evolved from Climate and Terrain

[Strathos]

Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish were all the same language in the distant past.

Spanish used to be the same language as Spanish?

No way, that's just too hard to believe.

 

[Bungle_Bear]

Ya?

And I'm ... well ... you know who.I just Googled it and it doesn't seem to be registered as an official language.

Jacobean English is not registered as an official language either. What's your point?

Houston, we have a problem.

You do know what happened when Swigert and Lovell called that in, don't you? And yes, I know it was actually "Houston, we've had a problem." A bunch of very clever people got together and came up with a solution. Now, you could let the clever people here give you the solution you need. Or you could carry on in your own inimical way and miss that slingshot.

 

[AV1611VET]

Now, you could let the clever people here give you the solution you need.

I've been asking the clever people for the solution for awhile now.

Here, I'll ask again:

Genesis 11:1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

What specifically was that one language?

You called it 'Biblical English,' but then went on to say they didn't speak that in Mesopotamia, when the Bible says otherwise (see quote above).

So what was it then?

 

[Jimmy D]

I've been asking the clever people for the solution for awhile now.

Here, I'll ask again:

Genesis 11:1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

What specifically was that one language?

You called it 'Biblical English,' but then went on to say they didn't speak that in Mesopotamia, when the Bible says otherwise (see quote above).

So what was it then?

It's a long shot, but does it occur to you that there might not have actually been just the one language and that the bible isn't entirely accurate on this point?

 

[Bungle_Bear]

I've been asking the clever people for the solution for awhile now.

Here, I'll ask again:

Genesis 11:1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

What specifically was that one language?

You called it 'Biblical English,'

I didn't call it Biblical English. I said that's what the language in KJV is called.

but then went on to say they didn't speak that in Mesopotamia, when the Bible says otherwise (see quote above).

So what was it then?

Mesopotamia in 3rd millenium BCE? That would be various semitic languages. Unluckily for you we have written texts from a number of different languages which are postdiluvian in date but pre-date the Babel story. These include partial texts of poems which form the basis for the Epic of Gilgamesh. Ooooh, now that's a bit awkward.

I know, there'll be a bunch of hand-waving and denial. Or just ignoring this post.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

Don't give me any lists, Warden.

I want to know what you think this language was:

Genesis 11:1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

I think it was Jacobean English.

There was no 'one language'.

 

[AV1611VET]

There was no 'one language'.

You were there?

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

You were there?

Neither were you.

 

[AV1611VET]

Neither were you.

The Bible breaks the tie.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

The Bible breaks the tie.

No it doesn't.

 

[AV1611VET]

No it doesn't.

Then neither do your lists.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

Then neither do your lists.

My lists are based on historical fact. The Bible is a book of allegories and morality tales.
The lists I provided win.

 

[AV1611VET]

My lists are based on historical fact.

Good deal.

They can take a hike, along with the lists.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

Good deal.

They can take a hike, along with the lists.

No, your interpretation of the Bible can take a long walk off a short pier.

 

[juvenissun]

There are certainly examples of different languages blending together over time (especially in Britain, with it's waves of invaders with different languages), but there are also examples of populations with a relatively uniform language spreading out into an area and establishing separate communities, resulting in a progressive divergence of linguistic characteristics between the communities.

As I said previously, the distances between communities didn't have to be very large - by modern standards - for this to happen, if the large majority of the population spent the large majority of their time in their own community.

My point is, in a large plain area, the language tends to merge, rather than diverge. The distance can only slow down the process.

 

[juvenissun]

Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and French [EDIT: mistakenly wrote "Spanish" two times] were all the same language in the distant past. That language was Latin. There's a reason why these are called the roman languages.
.

The language won't change so fast even by isolation. There must be other factors involved.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

The language won't change so fast even by isolation. There must be other factors involved.

Yeah, there's a huge one: TIME.

 

[Mike Lane]

Genesis 11:1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
I think it was Jacobean English.

I am not going to insult your intelligence by thinking for one second that you actually believe that.

 

[Warden_of_the_Storm]

I am not going to insult your intelligence by thinking for one second that you believe that.

He does believe it.

 

[Mike Lane]

Yeah, there's a huge one: TIME.

Time and isolation is the key to the many languages and dialects in this world, just as there are animals living in Australia and on Madagascar that live no where else on earth because of vast amounts of time and isolation.