The Birth of Communication: The Origin of Language and the Diversification of Languages

Abstract

The subject of this study is the birth of communication: The origin of language and the diversification of languages. In the article different views such as tawqīfī (divine teaching), naturalism, reconciliation and capability theory, which have been put forward about the emergence of the first language and the diversification of languages, are evaluated around different paradigms. In the current communication studies, language is evaluated mainly in terms of its importance and function; the origin of the language and the change of languages in the historical process are not mentioned enough. Since today’s understanding of science acts mostly according to the positive science, it deals with the issue only in a descriptive way and does not go down to the origins of language and communication. Another problem is that the paradigms of modern science explain language and communication according to the theory of compromise. However, it is seen that language is evaluated in many ways in the Islamic science paradigm; issues such as the birth of language, whether language should be divine teaching, its origin and the diversification of languages are discussed thoroughly. Because accepting divine teaching also means accepting naturalism, compromise and capability theory. Of course, some types of languages have been mentioned in modern sciences, but this has only consisted of dividing and classifying modern languages into groups. According to the understanding of Islamic science, the language of origin was taught to Adam by a divine declaration. Because the fact that Allah Almighty addresses Adam in the Qur’ān as “tell me the names”; Adam also understands and responds to this request (al-Baqara 2/33) indicates that Adam knows a language. It is clear from the verses in the Qur’ān that Adam and Eve approached the forbidden tree and then repented, it is clear that they know a language. These verses are evidence that communication began with the first person in the sense of expressing thoughts and perceptions with words and groups of words. Looking at the empirical evidence, it also seems that the being who most clearly and perfectly describes his feelings and thoughts is only human. This feature of human is described through the verse that “Allah created human being, He taught him how to distinguish” (al-Rahmān/3-4. In fact, there are clear statements in the Qur’ān that the first people also used the literary arts, which are advanced descriptions of language and communication. For example, Kābil, the unfortunate son of Adam, did not know what to do when he killed his brother Habel as a result of jealousy, then he realized that he would bury the body from the raven digging up the ground while he was vacillating in despair, and said, “Alas for me, I didn't manage to be as big as this raven and cover up my brother’s body” (al-Māida 5/31). In addition to expressing a situation, these explanations of his also include the arts of beyān such as temsīlī teşbīh and istiāre. The above-mentioned and other verses give us clear evidence of the beginning of the first language and the language of origin. Because reality shows that while other living things communicate with body language and some sounds, human beings use certain letter, word and word patterns that are specifically defined as language. Thanks to language, mankind has created the transfer of knowledge, cultural continuity and progress in civilization. This feature belongs only to the human species. Due to the fact that man is a social being, all of his activities are realized through communication, especially language. According to Islamic sciences, the history of mankind began with Adam and Eve meeting in Arafat and then settle in Mecca; then, as in the case of the people of Hud, humanity must have passed to the south; to the western Arabian Peninsula, where it was seen in the Thamud people, from there to Lebanon, Syria and Egypt; and from Egypt it must have spread to all of Africa. In the north, humanity has spread to the remote regions of Asia and Europe through Mesopotamia and Anatolia. The diversification of languages should also be divided into Sami-Hami, Indo-European and Ural-Altay languages from the language of origin first through these regions, and then into sub-languages. The aim of the study is to examine the origin language, the way of learning the origin language and the diversification of languages; its importance is to explain the origin language and its nature, which is not included in today’s communication studies. In the study, a document review accepted from qualitative method techniques was applied; studies related to the origin language, the way of learning the origin language, and the diversification of languages were evaluated; works related to language and statement were applied.