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An essay on the origin of language, based on modern researches, and especially on the works of M. Renan cover

An essay on the origin of language, based on modern researches, and especially on the works of M. Renan

Chapter 1: AN ESSAY ON THE ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE,
By F. W. Farrar
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About This Book

The author surveys competing theories for language origin—innate, imitative/conventional, and revealed—then explores psychological beginnings of speech, how sounds became signs through perception, association, and abstraction. He traces formation of meaningful roots, the role of onomatopoeia and interjections, and the gradual conventionalization of words into grammar, showing how imitation, organic predispositions, and social usage interact. The work critiques simplistic literalisms, emphasizes linguistic laws governing root creation and sound symbolism, and offers examples and arguments to explain dialectal variation, word formation, and the emergence of grammatical structure.

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Title: An essay on the origin of language, based on modern researches, and especially on the works of M. Renan

Author: F. W. Farrar

Release date: July 10, 2020 [eBook #62598]
Most recently updated: October 18, 2024

Language: English

Credits: Produced by Turgut Dincer, John Campbell and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This
file was produced from images generously made available
by The Internet Archive)

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN ESSAY ON THE ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE, BASED ON MODERN RESEARCHES, AND ESPECIALLY ON THE WORKS OF M. RENAN ***

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE

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The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.

Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book.

AN ESSAY
ON THE
ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE,

BASED ON MODERN RESEARCHES,

AND ESPECIALLY ON THE WORKS OF M. RENAN.

BY FREDERIC W. FARRAR, M.A.

LATE FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.

LONDON:

JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET.
1860.

LONDON:

BRADBURY AND EVANS, PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS.

TO

RICHARD GARNETT, ESQ.,

OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM,

These Pages are Dedicated,

IN

REMEMBRANCE OF MANY ACTS OF HELP AND KINDNESS.