Sociological Linguistics

[Nik Taylor]

Robert Whiting wrote:

> What is the "similar modern parallel" for your supposition that a
> phonological distinctive feature ([+aspiration]) marks a semantic
> category ([+animate])?

Besides which, this hypothetical proto-language would have to be spoken
by beings of sub-human intelligence.  People of human intelligence can
quickly create fully developed languages, as in the evolution of creoles
from pidgins, and the spontaneous development of sign languages such as
ISN (Idioma de Signos Nicaragüense), which literally evolved out of
nothing when deaf people were placed together, and is now a fully
developed language (with a small vocabulary, of course).  Speech used by
sub-humans is DEFINITELY had no "modern parallel"

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