Interesting article...

[conuly]

"There is only one explanation for the consistent meaning of the word 'papa': a common ancestry," Bancel says. He presented the findings at the Origins of Language and Psychosis conference in Oxford, UK, in July 2004

Except... that's not true. Words like papa could have a consistent meaning because they're very easy for young children to say. And of course, whatever the kid says first is going to get tacked on to one or the other of the parents. They want their kids to be saying "mama" and "papa", even if the kid is really just practicing going "mamamamamamamammmmmm".

Comments

[eofs.livejournal.com]

I'm reminded of "there must be a god because all cultures develop religion" (or something to that effect - an RE question I once saw.)

[conuly]

God, I hate that. All cultures develop superstitions too, but that doesn't mean that it really IS dangerous to walk under a ladder!

[mortaine.livejournal.com]

Huh? Why are they talking about Neanderthals in terms of human language? Didn't the Neanderthals die out?

[conuly]

Well, some theories say that there might''ve been some interbreeding going on.

And yeah, that irked me too. Neanderthals != us.

[interactiveleaf.livejournal.com]

On the other hand--there are also *other* noises that are very easy for a newborn to make, and if those noises were pretty consistently spread around languages, I'd agree with you. If 'papa' is chosen because it's easy to say, then 'bobo' and 'buhbuh' would be making pretty good appearances too.

[conuly]

Or Abba?

[conuly]

There's Baba too. The fact is, these sounds DO make common appearances around languages for family names.

[interactiveleaf.livejournal.com]

Point taken. :D

[velvetchamber.livejournal.com]

Then in some places father would be represented by "mamma" and mother by "pabbi."

[conuly]

Exactly.

[prezzey.livejournal.com]

As in Georgian.

[eofs.livejournal.com]

I'm reminded of "there must be a god because all cultures develop religion" (or something to that effect - an RE question I once saw.)

[conuly]

God, I hate that. All cultures develop superstitions too, but that doesn't mean that it really IS dangerous to walk under a ladder!

[mortaine.livejournal.com]

Huh? Why are they talking about Neanderthals in terms of human language? Didn't the Neanderthals die out?

[conuly]

Well, some theories say that there might''ve been some interbreeding going on.

And yeah, that irked me too. Neanderthals != us.

[interactiveleaf.livejournal.com]

On the other hand--there are also *other* noises that are very easy for a newborn to make, and if those noises were pretty consistently spread around languages, I'd agree with you. If 'papa' is chosen because it's easy to say, then 'bobo' and 'buhbuh' would be making pretty good appearances too.

[conuly]

Or Abba?

[conuly]

There's Baba too. The fact is, these sounds DO make common appearances around languages for family names.

[interactiveleaf.livejournal.com]

Point taken. :D

[velvetchamber.livejournal.com]

Then in some places father would be represented by "mamma" and mother by "pabbi."

[conuly]

Exactly.

[prezzey.livejournal.com]

As in Georgian.