We know of approximately 7,000 languages worldwide. While they are all unique, there are many similarities, especially when it comes grammar or how sentences can be constructed and used.
Scientists speculate that this could be due to certain genetic tendencies. Or perhaps it's because of the cognitive abilities that all humans share, such as the ability to create past and future tenses.
A new study suggests a different explanation for this common grammar: how we talk about language.
"We believe that the evolution of language involved talking about language and that these structures were a way of creating some of the first complex grammar structures." Stef Spronck (Finland's University of Helsinki) says that this is what Stef Spronck proposes.
Reported speech (or indirect speech) is a common feature in many languages. Sentences that communicate what someone has said rather than the person actually saying it can lead to new meanings.
In certain languages, for example, "He said, "I will go", can also refer to "he might go" and "he is about go". These additional interpretations are not reported speech but they are derived from it.
Researchers contend that this extension of meaning can be found in some languages where reported speech is used. It can be matched to grammatical constructs such as modality (discussing possible scenarios), aspect (how something extends over the time), and topic (what's being discussed).
It seems that our collective knowledge of grammar might have been formed by the way we talk to other people. Researchers used 100 languages to test the hypothesis that reported speech can be found on all continents. This is independent of language families and areas of contact.
Spronck says that humans talk about the thoughts and statements of others all the time.
It determines how we view the world and who we trust. This phenomenon is fundamental to human existence and it likely leaves its mark on languages. Our study proves that this extends beyond the simple sentences of reported speech.
Researchers suggest that the reported speech may be an important source of core grammar elements and some meanings of verbs. This would have been the first example of complex language, talking about language.
Researchers admit, however, that the new hypothesis may be partially speculative. It is difficult to trace language development back thousands years, especially since humans were speaking for a long while before they could write or record anything.
The idea is still interesting for anyone who is interested in the evolution of language. It's also something to consider when you next report on someone else's words. The researchers will next seek to find a stronger connection between speech patterns reported and grammar categories.
Spronck says that although our hypothesis does not replace cognitive explanations of grammar, it provides a new story to explain the emergence grammatical categories, especially those that are more difficult to explain.
Frontiers in Communication published the research.
