The interplay between myth and the origins of language, focusing on how Judeo-Christian and other cultural narratives have historically sought to explain linguistic diversity. From the lingua adamica—the original language given by God to Adam—to the confusion of tongues at the Tower of Babel, Yaguello examines various myths and their impact on linguistic theories and the quest for a universal language.
Key Points:
- Myths such as the lingua adamica and the Tower of Babel have been central to understanding language origins in Judeo-Christian cultures, suggesting a divine origin and a unified beginning for all human languages.
- Skepticism towards Darwin’s evolution theory persisted until the 19th century, stemming from the belief that admitting a plural origin of language contradicted the notion of Adam as the ancestor of all humanity.
- The quest for the original human language continued even after the decline of belief in divine language origins, with scholars turning to paleontology and human origins to seek answers.
- The article also delves into the role of the Flood in linguistic myths, with some theorists suggesting that certain languages, like Chinese, retained original purity, and others positing that high places like mountains or even the Moon could hold linguistic traces of Eden.
- Yaguello discusses the transition from myth to history and how myth remains intertwined with human understanding of language, even in the face of scientific advancement.
Source: https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-role-of-myth-in-language-from-lingua-adamica-to-babel/
