Re: Why grammar is so complex a subject
| From: | Gary Shannon <fiziwig@...> |
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| Date: | Friday, December 30, 2005, 16:53 |
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--- R A Brown <ray@...> wrote:
<snip>
> Such a sophisticated set of tasks is carried out
> with unsophisticated
> grunts and gestures? No, it doesn't fit well for me.
>
I have no trouble believing that Neandrathal had
sophisticated language. What I do have trouble
belieiving is the apparent implication by some posters
that on Tuesday night, Aug. 14, 896,351 B.C. there was
no language and on the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 15,
896,351 B.C. All the homonids woke up to find they had
a fully developed language.
Either that improbable scenario is true, OR there was,
for some period of time, something intermediate
between no language and sophisticated language. If not
"grunts and gestures" then some other intermediate
form. Unless, of course, people are arguing for
intervention by space aliens or some kind of
linguistic creationism.
--gary
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