h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The French philosopher, Jacques Lacan, who 're-conceptualised' Freudian theory in terms of language development, (as opposed to just subjectivity), suggests that we only can be considered to have achieved the 'speaking position' and entered what he called the realm of the 'symbolic' ie we are immersed in language proper, once the oedipal complex has been succesfully repressed. I think this is meant to occur anything from a few months of age, onwards. The time it takes apparently, is thought to be variable. Anyway the idea is that until we can be considered to have entered this realm of the 'symbolic', words as such do not actually exist. They are just sounds produced by vocal chords, much as a cat miaows.

Like all psychoanalytical theory though, this is just a theory. None of it has been tested in any scientific sense.

I'm just including it here, for interest sake.....

Well, yeah--da is easier than ma, and can even be said while stuffed up

The word for water seems quite similar in the european languages. Anyone know if it is similar in oriental or african languages too?

Oh?

Who do I reply to? Words have to start somewhere so, rather than thinking about it backwards, consider the possibility that words come from sounds- babies say mama, mama gave birth to baby and is baby's primary carer; the word mama is given a meaning.

As for the pronounciation of words, and I shall just talk about english here:

Say "um". Basically, your vocal chords are open (in their 'resting position'.)

Now say "mum" with your lips closed.

Now say "mum" but allow your lips to open slighty for the first em and close after the second em.
Not much difference is there?

Say "ah". Basically, your vocal chords are open (did you think that doctors asked you to do this for fun?)

Now say "mama" with your lips closed.

Now say "mama" but allow your lips to open slightly at the beginning of each em.
Not much difference is there?

Now try saying "da" with your mouth closed. Difficult? Try it with your mouth open. Easier?

Did you notice that, when you said "da" with your mouth open, your tongue touched the gums just above your front teeth?

Does a baby have teeth? Does a baby have control of his or her tongue?

If you say "yes", you have just pressed the middle of your tongue against the roof of your mouth.

If you say "no", you have just touched the gum above your front teeth with your tongue.

The mechanics of speech are based in human physiology. I'll leave it to others to argue the evolutionary processes that led to this occurring but we're stuck with what we've got for the distant future.

English is spoken using vocal chords, tongues, lips and teeth; babies have a limited command of (and restricted access to) these features.

Van

>>The word for water seems quite similar in the european languages.>>

Yes and no.

Yes when it comes to Water (English), Wasser (German), Vatten (Swedish), Vesi (Finnish) and Woda (Polish) to name a few.

A bit different when it comes to Eau (French), Acqua (Italian) and Agua (Spanish).

Some theorists say that signed languages may predate spoken ones.

And has it occurred to anyone that the "baby's first word" is usually reported by the parents, who might be specifically listening out for it?

"... gagga, bleh, ooodle-whoordle, mamah, goo, ...."
"He said 'Mama'!"

TRiG.

Picture the scene, a proto human aproaches a cave opening as thunder rumbbles across the vast plains below, tentatively the proto human enters the cave and seeing no predetors turns to signal the rest of the troop, as he turns he stubs his toe on a large protruding rock



"FECK"

If it was my baby, I'd be more pleased with the inventiveness behind "ooodle-whoordle", I must admit.

My first actual word was, reportedly 'car'. (not counting all the 'did she say mummy?' words)

I suspect that 'car' was not the first word expressed by humankind, however...

My earliest funny comment/word, as reported by my parents, occurred the first time they took me to the seaside. Apparently I kept pointing at the sea, and saying 'bath'.