202 THE ASCENT OF MAN 



Now these signs are as much language as 

 spoken words. You have only to evolve this to 

 get all the language the dictionary-maker re- 

 quires. Any method of communication, as already 

 said, is Language, and to understand Language we 

 must fix in our minds the idea that it has no 

 necessary connection with actual words. In the 

 simple instances just given there are illustrations 

 of at least three kinds of Language. When a deer 

 throws up its head suddenly, all the other deer 

 throw up their heads. That is a sign. It means 

 " listen." If the first deer sees the object, which 

 has called its attention, to be suspicious, it utters 

 a low note. That is a word. It means " caution." 

 If next it sees the object to be not only sus- 

 picious but dangerous it makes a further use of 

 Language — intonation. Instead of the low note 

 " listen," it utters a sharp loud cry that means 

 " Run for your life." Hence these three kinds 

 of Language — a sign or gesture, a note or word, 

 an intonation. 



Down to this present hour these are still the 

 three great kinds of Language. The movement 

 of foot or ear have been evolved into the modern 

 gesture or grimace ; the note or cry into a word, 

 and the intonation into an emphasis or inflexion 

 of the voice. These are still, indeed, not only th< 



