We are the only specie who have developed their languages. So when we need to express ourselves, we use words. This makes the process of expression very easy. We have to use less of our power of observation and imagination.
So do you think that the birth and development of languages is a sign of human intelligence or more of our laziness to not use our observation and imagination.
Scientists and researchers from around the world are requested to participate in this discussion and share their opinion.
Language is an aid in making observation and imagination intelligible and communicable. It enables us to maintain an analytical focus on ideas and mental imagery that would otherwise be fleeting and lost to memory. Written language enhances these benefits even further.
The answer to the question of whether intelligence is the result of language or vice versa is not clear. Spoken and written language was the result of a bio-evolutionary necessity in humans that enabled them to communicate with each other as well as to convey complex and abstract concepts.
Language was created to help human survival. Because humans needed to communicate to hunt, farm, and defend themselves against harsh environments. The ability to communicate through language gives human species a distinct survival advantage (although not known to be long-term).
Spoken and written language was the result of evolutionary necessity in man. In order to communicate with technology and interact in complex social architectures, humans needed the ability to communicate with complex ideas, which is best done through language.
Yet other animals have survived for millions of years without a language (in human form). But will humans, despite all the progress that is the result of language, be able to survive in the long run, or will the consequences of the same language (such as weapons, etc.) lead to human extinction?
Karl Pfeifer
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
It was wonderful to read your explanation of how observation and imagination was documented through the use of languages. After reading, what you have written, I realized that you have spoken in favor of languages being a sign of our intelligence. I agree with you and particularly with the way, you showed the conclusion.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Davoud Ezzati
Dear Researcher,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
You have raised a very vital issue by writing that languages provided humans with a survival advantage, but whether that advantage will work in the long run or not remains a question. After reading what you have written, I have come to the conclusion that you are also of the opinion that languages are a sign of our intelligence.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Dear Anamitra, my brother. Here's another interesting question from you - actually another challenging one. But I think that language arose out of our intelligence, rather than out of our laziness in getting other strenuous methods of communication. It then reinforces the thoughts that intelligence is native to all races with language.
People with linguistic intelligence are characterized by their ability to speak, write and use different languages in a practical way to achieve the desired goals and objectives,
I don't think so, language is the very natural creation of the Almighty Creator. Region to region, languages are different and each language has own identity and peoples love their own native language, although some languages treated as an international language. And besides mother language, to assimilate or learn the other language, it's a really difficult task.
Remi Chukwudi Okeke
Dear brother Remi,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
I accept your opinion about the topic of this discussion, most respectfully. And, yes, thank you for appreciating the question.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Antethar Jabar
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Md. Abdur Razzak Choudhury
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
After going through your writing, I realized that you are also of the opinion that languages are a sign of human intelligence.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Language is very important for a nation. We are fighting for our language. Salam, Rafiq, Jabber sacrifice their life for our language 1952. I think, we achieved our language through fight. We are the brave nation.
ABDUL Aziz
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
I agree with everything that you have stated. I am also a Bengali from West Bengal province of India. So you and me, we share the same mother language. I can understand your feelings for your language. I salute your nation for what they did for their language. Next year, you are going to celebrate the 50th Independence Day of your great nation.
In your case, your language is a sign of your intelligence, your bravery, your history, your culture and your giant strides towards independence.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Dear friend Anamitra
The ultimate goal of all beings is individual and species survival. It can be clearly said that language has played a useful role in human life for several thousand years. But whether language and its consequences can lead to long-term survival for humans is questionable; Because language, intelligence and thinking in humans act like a double-edged sword: well-being, health promotion and longevity are the positive results of language, thinking and intelligence; However, deaths and diseases from weapons of mass destruction and environmental pollution should also be considered as negative consequences of language, thinking and intelligence that may even lead to the extinction of humanity.
Therefore, my general conclusion is that one can not explicitly comment on the long-term benefits of human mental abilities such as language.
Best Rigards,
Davoud
I agree with you point @ Anamitra Roy sir. Moreover I have collected more good points from others through this discussion.
Davoud Ezzati
Dear Davoud,
It is a great thought that has been initiated by you that what will be the role played by languages in the long run. Let me take this opportunity to share with you two points that I had in my mind when I was framing the topic of this discussion:
1. Firstly, I saw that humans are the only species who have developed their languages. Other species have failed to do so. But they have also been surviving in this planet for millions of years. So what advantage actually we humans got by development of our languages? This was a question that was haunting my mind.
2. In comics strips, I saw the wide usage of pictures. That's why, in a comics strip, the writer has to write "to the point dialog" only. The reader can read the dialog and then see the picture. Thus, the reader has to work less. In other words, her/ his brain has to work less. Thus, reading comics helps me to relax as I don't have to exercise my imagination power. I have the picture drawn in front of me. So I was thinking that languages are having limited use in comics. Can that idea be implemented in other walks of life, where the usage of languages will diminish?
These were just thoughts. I tried to frame a topic of discussion with these thoughts.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Sivaraj Paramasivam
Dear Professor Sivaraj,
Thank you for finding this discussion beneficial. After all, that is the purpose of these discussions in RG. We all can interact with each other and get benefited by it. Thanks to RG as well.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Dear friend Anamitra
The second part of your writing "Comic strips" can challenge the role of language and there may be other cases in which the use of language can be limited (such as arts and sports); but there are also areas in which the role of language is undeniable (such as literature and philosophy). Therefore, your final question cannot be answered conclusively.
What we have to accept is that; we have evolved with language (and other human-specific mental processes) and we have to deal with them; but we can contribute to the well-being and survival of humanity by revisiting some language products, such as racism or belligerent views that show our selfishness.
My final conclusion is that there is a non-linear relationship between language and its products, which makes it impossible to conclude whether language is useful to humanity in general or not.
Anyway, thank you for this beautiful discussion.
Davoud
Davoud Ezzati
Dear Professor,
This discussion has become beautiful because of the participation of thinkers like you. So I should be thanking you.
I really liked the conclusion that you reached about the non-linear relation between language and its products.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
... Without the "Passage of the Cerebral Rubicon", the result of the TELENCEFALIZATION process, our species would not have reached the capacity to speak in a SPECIFIC LANGUAGE ... nor to THINK, both manifestations of Intelligence -together with SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS- ... or VICEVERSA, because for many neuroscientists language and intelligence interact in such a way that not a few think that they are intimately linked or, even, that it is the same ... in fact, for Latinos the ability to speak and express themselves (language ) is what defines us as people ... if not, we would all be an INFANT ("quia fari nom potest": the one who cannot speak) and we would be in a PERPETUAL CHILDHOOD
In fact, this is a philosophical question, and the answer to it requires deep thinking, because it simply leads us to many sub-questions, including Is human intelligence dependent on language? Humans are not the most impressive species on the planet, or the most likely to survive, but they are without a doubt the most intelligent of all. Hence, many questions arise: What kinds of thinking require language? What types of thinking are possible without language? In my humble opinion, language has been associated with intelligence greatly, and man has invented letters and writing to express it. A man by nature tends to explore and test everything around him and develop himself, and language and letters were the tools of the mind to do that ... Man has developed languages to communicate With humans, but here another question arises. We know that human beings are by nature competitors and not cooperating, so the tools of the mind (language and words) will be subject to competition as well. Another reason for the existence of language and words in my opinion is related to intelligence, which is to use language as an art to make mistakes and camouflage its mistakes or convince others to see it, and it is what gives our minds its greatest strength, since once we have a language (a plethora of mental tools) we can use it in a structure deliberate and insightful obstetrics. With my sincere gratitude, Doctor.
Manal Hadi Kanaan
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
You have rightly identified this question as being a philosophical one. It is true that language is used to camouflage mistakes and then to convince others to see it. I was once a student of Marketing Management in the University of Wales, U.K. There, during a class when the professor was teaching us Marketing Communication, he had highlighted on this point and since then I had this question in my mind.
Language, as it has been stated by most of the scientists and researchers, in this discussion, is no doubt a sign of human intelligence. But with times manipulation started with it. Man could not do much to stop that. Thus, language became a tool of corruption in the hands of the unscrupulous. This type of a situation gave rise to the topic of discussion as if to weigh both the aspects of languages, the aspect of human intelligence and the negative aspects. So surely this question is very philosophical by nature.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Anamitra Roy.
Francisco Javier Gala
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
It was great to read your account on the topic of this discussion and realize your pride for your language. I salute that pride. I respect that pride.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Dear Anamitra Roy from the perspective of the geological positivism, specially, Ludwig Wittgenstein the limits of my world is the limits of my language. Certainly, our behaviour is determined by language, communication and the semantic that opens a space for the interconnection between individual and social values. However, human life is too complex to be reduce to language. For example, how could we explain intuition ? It is a difficult and complex topic that, instead, a unique and definitive answer, brings more questions. Kind regards, Ernani
Ernani Contipelli
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
I liked a few points you raised like the limits of our world are the limits of our language, human life being too complex to be reduced to languages only, the concept of intuitions etc. You have taken this discussion to a new direction and level by stating that it actually generates many questions.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Sandip Kumar Gupta
Dear Researcher,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Aneeba Rashid
Dear Researcher,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion. I shall surely go through the links that you have shared here.
Best regards,
Anamitra Roy.
Dear Dr Anamitra Roy, I do think in the evolution, language ( able to communicate with other through structured letters/words and sound) is a form of human intelligence. But, it is just one dimension of intelligence. For example, the wheels, then bullock cart, four wheel vehicles like cars, trucks, ship then aeroplane are different levels of intelligence. At every higher level in the transportation the human race is able to save time, effort and energy (to complete the same amount of work). Likewise, language is the one level of intelligence that reduced the time, effort and energy required to communicate (without language). My sincere thanks for initiating this discussion doctor. Thank you. Warm regards Yoganandan G
Yoganandan G
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
I read what you have written and said "wow". Amazing explanation, Professor. You have taken this discussion to a different level by incorporating a new concept, the concept of levels of intelligence. I shall keep this expression in my mind and try to use it while communicating.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Dear Anamitra Roy Language is a sustainable means of expression as well as communication. Human species is thus far the most intelligent species on the earth, and hence they have developed various languages to express themselves and to communicate with one another. Other mammalian species, avians, reptiles, and the like, also use very poorly developed languages, which we hardly understand.
Thanks!
Arbind K. Choudhary
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
You have written mainly about how humans developed the languages which is a sign of intelligence. Other species have failed to do so. They use some poor signalling languages or inarticulate sounds to communicate with each other. I totally agree with you on these grounds. Yes, from this point it appears that languages are a sign of our intelligence.
But I am just trying to find out that what has been man's efforts to control the problems created by languages. It would be great to receive some valuable comments about those from a senior member of the research fraternity, like you.
Submitted most respectfully.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Mubashir Ali Rather
Dear Researcher,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
I have enjoyed reading what you wrote. There is no doubt about the fact that languages are used to express ourselves. At the same time, languages are used to hide our inner thoughts. I will give you a simple example. For example, I go to someone's house. That person serves me a dish which I don't like. When he asks me about it, I reply, "Fine, great." Here, I am using languages to hide my feelings and thoughts.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
M.K. Tripathi
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion. Its a nice thought that you have shared. I think you considered the negative aspects of languages mainly.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
M.K. Tripathi
Dear Professor,
Its a very nice explanation that you have provided us with. I respect your thoughts.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
No doubt human being is the most intelligent creature in the world. However, whether intelligence has cuased man to acquire language or the other way round is not clear. What is crystal clear is that there is a positive and strong correlation between them. Maybe, in future, research will make it clear which one is the cause and which one is the result.
Language gives us the ability communicate our intelligence to others by talking, reading, and writing. Language is the “the jewel in the crown of cognition” . Although other species have at least some ability to communicate, none of them have language. https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontopsychology/chapter/chapter-9-intelligence-and-language/
There is a close link between intelligence and language acquisition. It seems that writing as a part of language learning has a positive correlation with intelligence. One of the best single measures of overall intelligence as measured by intelligence tests is vocabulary. https://journals.uvic.ca/index.php/WPLC/article/view/5160/2132
Verbal intelligence is the ability to understand and reason using concepts framed in words. More broadly, it is linked to problem solving, abstract reasoning, and working memory. Verbal intelligence is one of the most g-loaded abilities. In order to understand linguistic intelligence, it is important to understand the mechanisms that control speech and language. These mechanisms can be broken down into four major groups: speech generation (talking), speech comprehension (hearing), writing generation (writing), and writing comprehension (reading). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbal_intelligence
Intelligence is important because it has an impact on many human behaviours. ... Our vast intelligence also allows us to have language, a system of communication that uses symbols in a regular way to create meaning. Language gives us the ability communicate our intelligence to others by talking, reading, and writing. https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontopsychology/chapter/chapter-9-intelligence-and-language/
Dear @Anamitra Roy Languages are mechanisms to communicate with one another. Of course, our languages are well developed. And this certainly indicates that humans are the most intelligent species. However, other species also have languages, which we usually fail to understand.
Thanks!
Ali Shiri
Dear Researcher,
Thank you for your contribution in this thread.
I appreciate your point about the relation between language and development. Indeed, we can look forward to a research that will tell us which one is the cause and which one is the effect.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Afraa Ibrahim
Dear Researcher,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
Best regards,
Anamitra Roy.
Arbind K. Choudhary
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this thread.
It was a beautiful feeling to read your explanation of why languages are a sign of our intelligence. I feel enriched after reading your explanation.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Chinaza Godswill Awuchi
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion. Also special thanks to you for sharing some very useful links.
I went through your explanation. You supported the proposition involved with the topic of the discussion that languages may be a sign of our intelligence. It was wonderful to go through your explanation. I just wanted to tell you that other species also have languages. But, we humans, fail to understand that. That is also a point that is going against our intelligence.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Mubashir Ali Rather
Dear Researcher/ Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
You have given a new direction to this discussion by talking about the Arabic language and the Arab scholars. The point that you shared them is absolutely amazing.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Muhammad Ihsan
Dear Researcher,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion. I respect your opinion.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Atiqe Ur Rahman
Dear Researcher,
Thank you very much for your contribution in this thread.
You have raised a priceless point by writing about the relation between language and personality. I guess you are talking about "national personality" here.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Muhammad Faheem
Dear Researcher,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Silvia Marcu
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
Best regards,
Anamitra Roy.
Muhammad Arshad
Dear Researcher,
Thank you very much for your contribution.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
M.K. Tripathi
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Dear Dr Anamitra Roy , I have been following this discussion - I have learnt/ exposed to many fascinating ideas and information put forth by researchers from different walks of life. My best wishes to you for initiating such a thought provoking discussion. Warm regards Yoganandan G
Yoganandan G
Dear Professor,
Thank you for being a part of this discussion. It is because of the presence of scientists and researchers like you that I also got an opportunity to learn so many things in the context of the topic of this discussion.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Our vast intelligence also allows us to have language, a system of communication that uses symbols in a regular way to create meaning. Language gives us the ability communicate our intelligence to others by talking, reading, and writing. As the psychologist Steven Pinker put it, language is the “the jewel in the crown of cognition” (Pinker, 1994).
Muhammad Salman Shabbir
Dear Professor Shabbir,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
It was great to read your citation of psychologist Pinker. I enjoyed going through your linking of human intelligence to languages.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Benjamin Franklin Selvanayagam and Alexandr Voronin
Dear Professors,
Thank you for your contributions in this discussion.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Muhammad Ihsan
Dear Researcher,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Talal A. Zari
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Yea because the ability to speak (not just make sounds) is given by the developement of a specific part of the human brain. This is why, for certain animals, independentally of how much you train them, it is impossible for them to speak a language (not just make sounds).
Roudy El Haddad
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
You have raised a very vital point by writing about the source of speeches and the limitations of training on animals. I do agree with you.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Dear Dr. Anamitra Roy ,
A very thought-provoking question. Language is a systematic collection of articulated sounds (like calls in other animals) that expresses a thought or emotion. Language is not unique to humans, but humans are superior since they have learned to document such calls, in the form of signs or modern written languages.
Soumya Basu
Dear Researcher,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
Your putting of man above the creation of languages, highlighted to me the superiority of human intelligence.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Language is culture. The more you develop your knowledge of the language, the more you are able to express yourself, your opinions, and your ideas, so that your personality becomes better in dealing with others.
Learning other languages increases your understanding of the world. The more we understand the world, the more we adapt, we live in peace More .
Hussien Ali Noor
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your appreciation of the topic of this discussion.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Raya Qahtan Ahmed
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
Since, you have linked languages to culture and peace development, I believe you are speaking in favor of the motion.
Best regards,
Anamitra Roy.
Kenjabek Rozumbetov
Dear Researcher,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
الذكاء البشري يعتمد في جزء منه للتطوير على مدى تفاعل المجتمع مع التكنولوجيا ومقدار الفائدة منها
Is Language the Key to Human Intelligence?
https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.1093993
Hussien Ali Noor
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion. You have highlighted on interactions of humans with technology. That sort of interaction also needs a language. May be that is different from the language that we are using while speaking or writing. So, I agree with your viewpoint.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Chuck A Arize
Dear Professor,
Thank you for sharing the link. I am now going through it.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
First of all, it is good to distinguish between "lingua" and language.
"Lingua" is verbal communication, while language is written expression.
Any living being, at least in the animal kingdom, expresses its own "language".
The use of writing is generally considered to be the first "cry" of human civilization, given that to date it is not known whether other living beings have expressed some form of writing.
However, the fact that writing can be synonymous with intelligence remains to be verified.
Gioacchino de Candia
Dear Professor,
Thank you for your contribution in this discussion.
By differentiating between 'language' and 'lingua' you have taken this discussion to another level. It is similar to adding one more direction.
When I started this discussion, I defined the word 'language' in my mind as 'means of communication, mainly verbal.'
Professor, I met a lot of people who were communicating to me through many apps which have grown in popularity worldwide. While using these apps, they were typing wrong spellings. But, they were not bothered about it. I felt that it has taken many centuries to develop a language and how is it that some people are destroying that. I felt that it is not a sign of their intelligence to type such wrong spellings. That's why, I raised this topic of discussion.
When I raised this topic of discussion, I did not know the difference between 'lingua' and 'language' and how they can be linked to human intelligence. I am very happy to see this discussion getting into more directions through you contributions.
Best regards,
Anamitra.
Language had been structured for communication, gradually, been expanding to levels, to vast. It's art we can say. It's a feature of extraordinary aspect of capability we human have we been privileged to, we transformed it into verbal and to scriptural.
Interestingly, language of communication methods been formed,reformed, structured in to pattern style and system.
Text had been in symbol in the past tenth mellenium ago. One pattern told a thesis, paragraphs. It's matter of as well as intellectual it was matter of mastering knowledgeability.
Then into communication level, maybe a little touch you get the jest, how language had been class binder too, in my book Bangla Language by Fatema Miah on Amazon.
For now..
Regards,
Fatema Miah.
Author of Bangla Language.
And Ache in my heart.
Anamitra Roy
Like many others who write, not knowing what they write.
Unfortunately, on this network the "misunderstandings" are multiplying and it is not a good thing, thanks to the scarce and often distorted attention to the discussions on the part of the network board.
Furthermore, English is not a sufficiently structured language to best express these concepts.
Regards
I think we should first try to reach a consensus on what is meant by "intelligence " and the criteria used to measure it. Second, are we talking of languge as a system undergoing construction and dependant on verbal communication? And if so, where would we place sign language? Will cognition be short without language?
Only if we set these parameters, then we would be able to answer the question.
Anamitra Roy
Definitely development of human language is a sign of Intelligence. Using language it is quite easy to express your thoughts in verbal or written form. Using a language we can communicate at any part of world. It is remarkable incremental innovation of human race.
Best Regards
Dr. Ashwani Kumar
Protactile is a movement by deafblind people to embrace touch to communicate and live more fully — conversations might include contact with the arms, shoulders and legs. Linguists now argue that the practice has evolved into its own language. Gestures such as trace, grip-wiggle and slap form words, and there are rules for how these movements can be combined. Protactile promises to increase autonomy and equality for deafblind people, says John Lee Clark, who has become a leader in the movement. “It’s an exciting time to be deafblind.”
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-inquiry/deafblind-communities-may-be-creating-a-new-language-of-touch
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