LinguaClash
Member
[although the title is more promising than the article itself, still a nice read]
Charles Darwin found inspiration for his theory of evolution in birds’ beaks, giant tortoise shells—and language. “The survival or preservation of certain favored words in the struggle for existence is natural selection,” he wrote in The Descent of Man in 1871. Language gradually shifts over time. ...language ultimately gets more efficient and easier to understand. Breithaupt explains: “Yes, we shift toward simple language, but then we also grab complex language that we need.” New words that address the intricacies of modern life may somewhat balance out this shift.
www.scientificamerican.com
Charles Darwin found inspiration for his theory of evolution in birds’ beaks, giant tortoise shells—and language. “The survival or preservation of certain favored words in the struggle for existence is natural selection,” he wrote in The Descent of Man in 1871. Language gradually shifts over time. ...language ultimately gets more efficient and easier to understand. Breithaupt explains: “Yes, we shift toward simple language, but then we also grab complex language that we need.” New words that address the intricacies of modern life may somewhat balance out this shift.
How Our Thoughts Shape the Way Spoken Words Evolve
What makes a word survive or go extinct?
