Origin & Evolution of Languages

[Max W Wheeler]

>> Dr. John E. McLaughlin; then Steven Schaufele; then Moderator :

> [snip dispute whether evolution is change]

I certainly agree with Steven Schaufele that `evolution' is used in
historical linguistics to mean "change within a language". A case in
point is the title of M L Samuels 1972 book `Linguistic Evolution with
special reference to English'. He is certainly not attempting to show
that English `evolved' by natural selection or any such mechanism.

Of course, back in 1972 the `evolution of language' was still a
non-subject, and Samuels, even if he was aware of the ambiguity,
doubtless did not foresee being misunderstood.

More recently Henning Andersen has distinguished 'evolutive innovation'
within languages from both `adaptive innovation' and `spontaneous
innovation'. In his usage there is nothing biological, or goal-directed,
implied by the use of the term.

Nonetheless, I am inclined to agree that using `evolution/evolve' as a
(quasi-)synonym for `change' might be better avoided. I will endeavour
to avoid it from now on. `Develop' is perhaps a suitable alternative in
some contexts:

a) ?English has evolved from Proto-Germanic...
b) *English has changed from Proto-Germanic...
c)  English has developed from Proto-Germanic...

Max Wheeler
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Max W. Wheeler <maxw at cogs.susx.ac.uk>
School of Cognitive and Computing Sciences
University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QH, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1273 678975; fax: +44 (0)1273 671320
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