Language is a concept much more powerful than we realise it to be. Not only does it shape one’s personal identity, it is also the glue to creating entities such as; family, culture and belief. Having been around since the beginning of our time on this Earth, language is also the vital carrier of history, traditions, customs and folklore from one generation to another. Six thousand. That’s how many languages there are out there on this Planet. Some of us speak one language, others two and few speak a multitude. With each language, there is a tone, and with each tone there is an understanding and perception of the world. If a language is a personal identity, then wouldn’t it be fair to say that each language brings out a different part of us? Are we perceived differently depending, not only on who we are talking with, but also on the language we are speaking? Which identity do we correlate with truly?
The history behind the evolution of language is a blurry and complex one, with there not being much concrete evidence to go by, scientists have relied mainly on fossil records, archaeological evidence and contemporary language diversity. Some scholars place the development of symbolic communication with Homo erectus (1.8 million years ago) or with Homo heidelbergensis (0.6 million years ago). Ultimately however, the development of proper language has seen to be with the Homo sapiens, estimated to be less than 200,000 years ago. There are a few theories on how the language came into existence, both religious and scientific. “Language as a miracle” was described in the Old testament of The Bible, where the Lord gave the power of language to Adam and so the people built the tower of Babel in order to get closer to Heaven. However, the Lord did not want this, thus destroying the tower and dispersing the people, along with the language. Another abstract reasoning behind the creation of language can be found in Noam Chomsky’s language evolution theory. He believed language found itself only half way through our lifetime, which would be around one hundred thousand years ago, as our species only came into existence two hundred thousand years ago. But what happened in those 7 billion years of human evolution prior to us? Was there no communication at all? It seems unlikely. Darwin’s theory was much simpler, arguing that the evolution of not only humans but also language, was complex enough have evolved through numerous modifications over time. Language, like breathing (for most), is something we find effortless in its beauty. From learning to bubble up our first words to conversing for hours with friends and family, language has invisibly revolved around your life with substantial importance.
Once we have grasped the knowledge and ability to know one language, it isn’t that complex to learn another if we dedicate ourselves. Evidence shows that speaking more than one language is beneficial to the brain, especially in the long run. A bilingual speaker will have an altered structure of certain (important) parts of the brain, specifically: areasprefrontal cortex (responsible for advanced processing), the bilateral supramarginal gyri (plays a role in linking words and meanings) and finally the anterior cingulate (cognitive functions such as empathy, impulse control, emotion, and decision-making). With a second language embedded in the brain, these functions are heightened and rejuvenated, creating a healthier brain. White matter in the brain also increases, (the fatty substances that covers axons – the main projections coming out from neurons to connect them to others), allowing messages to travel faster and more efficiently across networks of nerves reaching the brain. Maintaining these connections between the neutrons helps promote the measure of white matter as you age. In other words, preventing memory loss as you get older.
If you grew up with at least two languages in your ears, then you’ll know the challenge of learning two sets of vocabulary at once, whilst trying to get through school. There will always be a more dominant language in your environment (whether it be at school, in your community or country), so a child that is learning another language needs to feel the practicality and use of it. Is this where the split begins? Do bilingual children pick their preferred language in regards to how useful it is or the facility of it? Not only do languages shape the way we think, they shape our identity. I believe each language is a different identity within you. A different part of your soul. Is it possible then that we have more sides to ourselves than we know? Choosing to emit one identity through a language means no one will know you whole, as each language brings forth a different version of yourself. To know someone truly, must we be able to speak their childhood language the one they know best? How much do these identities differ from one another, which one is the real us (if there even is such thing) and will you ever know someone properly through only one language?
Dolphinmind 