CHAPTER II 

 THE OPJGIX OF LANGUAGE 



It is manifest at the outset that humanity is based 

 upon social habits which must begin with the forma- 

 tion of societies. But it is equally manifest that the 

 formation of societies of high grade must be based 

 upon language, since such society without language 

 is unthinkable. Indeed, the grade of civilization 

 reached bv anv tribe of man mav be closelv measured 



• • • • 



br the grade of its language. A low civilization 

 always means a simple language, while a high civili- 

 zation means a complex one. The study of the origin 

 of language is manifestly our first task in tracing 

 social evolution. In this study we shall reach a sig- 

 nificant result ; for the unhesitating conclusion of the 

 studies of the last half century or more is that lan- 

 guage, instead of being given to man at any distinct 

 jDoint of creation, has been developed slowly from 

 smaU beginnings. The evidence for this most preg- 

 nant conclusion comes from three sources: (1) the 

 language of animals, (2) the language of children, 

 and (3) the study of comparative philology. 



AxiMAL Language 



Do animals possess any rudiments of language? 

 Manv animals certainlv understand the use of Ian- 

 guage, at least to a limited extent. It is wholly un- 

 necessary to give illustrations of this well-known 

 fact, for all books upon domestic animals give in- 

 stances by the score. Xo one who owns an intelli- 



44 



