Human Language

[FLaKes 0]

The other day, I was thinking about what would happen if someone was like set apart from everything in this world, kind of like trapped in a box or lonely room sort of. I was wondering how that person would think, like how would he ask himself what his purpose in life is? if he didnt know any languages. Do you think he would develop his own language? would he even be able to think? What do you all think?

[icemarle 0]

I'm pretty sure he'd develop his own language. People are born to think. Even if there's nothing... we still have the capacity to think. He'd probably mumble a few words to himself and stuff... and try to unleash his innate creativity. I'm pretty sure he'd start to look for food first... and fulfill his basic needs... and then maybe he'd start asking philosophical questions. "Why?"

[ghostrider 0]

That is a really interesting idea. I think that he would probably have some sort of language, like icemarle says humans are made to think. Humans are also made to be social. I think however he would be a very bored and depressed person, and probably pretty hungry.

[Instant_noodles 0]

mmm, i think humans are thinking type individuals, but to develop a language only by himself? i honestly doubt it.For instance, cats make noises to catch humans atention, among them they do not seem to interact too much at a language level, with cat talking and all that stuff.I think that they would need, people isolated, some kind of social stimulation to invent a language.

[Webber 0]

That's a crazy idea.I guess, well think of it like this - when you say something to yourself in your head, you speak your lanuage, so I guess if you didn't know a lanuage, you wouldn't be able to, but having said that, every human being is capable of thinking, so you must be able to think, but how?? It's like saying, imagine being dead, and not being able to see or picture anything.. you cant do it, although I imagine that yeah your would create your own language. However, having said that, if you are on your own, what is the need to talk out loud, and perhaps if we dont need to talk out loud, we can communicate without ourselves, without the use of lanuage.. i really dont know.. thats a really good question mate... clever.. lol

[canlspelt 0]

Ive had the same idea myself a couple of times, god I must be wierd, Something that no-one has mentioned yet is comparing him to an animal, do cats think in meows? do lions think in roars? I dont think so.I belive that what happens in an animals brain is all instinctive, if the man in the box existed, he would think instinctivly aswell, and he would learn, he would learn that every day at 12:00, a sclice of meat would fall from the celing, he would learn that at 10:00 every night the lights would suddenly go out, but he would not develope his own language as has no nead for one. I say this because I also belive that humans developed launguage "together", weather with a lover, a brother or a group of freinds, if he is on his own he has no nead to tell anyone a secret, he has no nead to ask for something, he has no nead for a lanuage so he wouldn't develope one.

[dyknight 0]

What is the use of language when he is alone? He won't have anyone to speak to except himself. Though I believe that humans are born to speak, I doubt that he will develop a language since he won't find it necessary. Moreover, he would probably be no more intelligent than an ape since there is nothing to challenge his intellect and develop it. If there is food, he will eat, if there is water, he will drink, because those are his basic instincts.Then the rest will depend on the room conditions. He will probably be curious and want to learn more, but if the room is empty then there is nothing to learn. If he can see the outside world he will probably wonder why is he trapped, but if he cannot then he won't even have the concept of society and interaction, much less question his meaning of life. He will not know about colour, size, and all other concepts within our dimension because there is no one to teach and introduce. He might develop such spacial concepts on his own; he will be deemed to be of another dimension.He will probably live longer than we do, since there is nothing to challenge his body. On the other hand, a weak immunity system and body may accelerate the effects of aging, resulting in a premature death. His brain cells will die earlier, and his other bodily functions will halt and death will come.My guesses.

[truefusion 3]

I guess this would all depend on where this person has been placed. In due time, the person will become like the animals around the person, if there are any. I do believe the person would be capable of creating their own language. It may not be as complex as ours, but it'll be made up of sounds. Similar to that of a parrot. When the person communicates "rain," they might make the sound it makes when it splashes on a surface. The person might even borrow the communications methods of the surrounding animals, based on experience, and eye-witnessing. Also, quite possibly, the person mix in the language of their parents. This does not mean, however, that the person would know many complete words. Maybe not even one complete word, but the style is there, if you know what i mean. There are so many ways to look at this kind of situation.

Edited July 9, 2006 by truefusion (see edit history)

[morosophos 0]

Your question is asking what the nature of a human being would be if he were set aside from all things we know now, including the natural environment and other humans. I'm assuming that there would be a supply of water and food given to him at points throughout his life, so his lonely world wouldn't be cruelly ended, and the experiment given to an abrupt stop.

 

Since our human is basically hand-fed everything he needs in his life, thinking would be only at a most basic level. He would have just enough intelligence to ingest food and drink. Anything above this most basic level is highly unlikely, since there is nothing to stimulate higher thought. An essential part of the human psyche is the interaction among other people. Since he is completely alone with himself, he will be missing whatever he may have developed socially. For instance, the attention given by a mother to her child gives that child a sense of self. The mother having been taken out of the equation, the baby will have no sense of self, not unlike most animals. The most obvious part to social interaction is language. Language is used entirely for communication?albeit it is implemented in art forms like poetry, but isn't poetry communication??that is not necessary without a society.

 

You describe a condition of being "trapped in a box or lonely room," where our human will live in darkness. With no light, he will not even be able to see himself, and supposing there were light in whatever sort of prison he were to be kept, his mental facilities aren't exercised enough for him even to comprehend his own existence. Any higher portions of existentialism such as the "Why?" questions are far out of reach for him.

 

As I said earlier, all thought will be on the most basic of levels; all the abstract and sophisticated flavours of thought aren't needed as far as this isolated human is concerned. In fact, the human really isn't concerned, because the world to him is but a dark box where food and drink occasionally appear. The human body adapts to its needs. For example, a person who lifts weights develops a system capable of supporting greater weight, and a person who frequently runs develops a system more apt to running. Such also is the mind.

[arnz 0]

It would be interesting in some ways, but it would make it harder for those that are close to the subject, or those who are concerned, to understand. It depends on the situation, but I'll agree with one of the points presented by one of the posts above. Who will the subject speak to if the language was developed on their own?, it wont have anyone to speak to but itself. Also, humans, animals or all living creatures would be interested to see whats behind the surroundings (in this case being alone or trapped in a room) and how it may work and so forth. This is just a few thoughts.

Edited August 22, 2006 by arnz (see edit history)