The Origin of Language: A Linguistic Approach
Document Type : Original Article
Author
College of Education for Human Sciences / University of Basra / Iraq
Abstract
Linguists have spoken a lot about the issue of the genesis of language and the origin of languages, and each linguist claimed that their language is the original, depending on texts from heavenly books according to what they believe or profess. They further said that theirs is the language of Paradise and that it is what Adam (Peace be upon him) spoke. They consider it a merit to their language before all other languages. This is what we found among Arab scholars as well as the scholars of other nations like Syriacs and others. It seems that there are many motives behind this claim of originality, and that will be discussed when we tackle the opinions of old and modern Arab scholars later. We will approach these opinions linguistically depending on the opinions of Chomsky, which he put forward in his Transformational Generative Theory. The issue of the origin and differences between languages will be approached by the Qur’an, which disclaims that Arabic language or any other language is the first one. Rather, the difference is the origin and is the feature of all languages. Indeed, God Almighty made the difference of languages one of His signs that He created in the beginning and it is as great as the creation of the Heavens and the Earth. The research will prove that the difference is not a merit of language, but a natural state, and that there is no need to have only one language, trying to reconcile what was brought by modern linguistics and what came in the Holy Qur’an. The research concludes with the results, asking God Almighty to grant success.
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