Adventures in Philosophy The Radical Academy Main Menu Online Newsletter Academy Updates The M.J. Adler Archive The Dolhenty Archive Adventures in Philosophy Classic Philosophers Philosophical Critiques Philosophy Glossary Philosophy Quotations Philosophy Mini-Courses Thomas Aquinas Introductory Essays Philosophy Resources Politics Resources Religion Resources Education Resources Science Resources The Media Center Better Living Resource Center Business & Finance Resources Search Central Academy Bookstore Academy NewsStand Academy Emporium About the Academy Academy FAQs Ask the Academy Guestbook Academy Forum Calendar of Events Subscribe to Ezine Give Us Feedback Tell A Friend About Us Votecaster Cartoons & Comics Academy Chatroom
CLASSICAL ESSAY Select a Category... Ancient Philosophy Medieval Philosophy Modern Philosophy Recent Philosophy American Philosophy Islamic Philosophy Jewish Philosophy Political Philosophy Eastern Philosophy Introduction & Directory
Academy Resources Glossary of Philosophical Terms Timeline of Philosophy A Timeline of American Philosophy Diagram: Development of Philosophic Thought Diagram: Divisions of Philosophy The Philosophy Resource Center The Religion Resource Center Books about Philosophy in The Radical Academy Bookstore Books about Religion in The Radical Academy Bookstore Click Here for New & Used College Textbooks at Discount Prices Click Here for College Education Information & Study Resources Shop Amazon Stores in the Radical Academy Bookstore Magazine Outlet Music Store Classical Music Store Video Store DVD Store Computer Store Camera & Photo Store Computer/Video Games Software Store Musical Instruments Outlet Store Cellular Phones Toys & Games Tools & Hardware Automotive Store Outdoor Living Consumer Electronics Home & Garden Kitchen & Housewares Baby Superstore Apparel & Accessories Gourmet Food Grocery Store Sporting Goods Jewelry & Watches Health & Personal Care Beauty Store		The Evolution of Language by Nicolai Gavrilovich Chernyshevsky   Philology shows that all languages begin with that stage in which there is no declension, no conjugation, and no change of aspect or inflection in the word, and each case of everything assumes one and the same form. Modern Chinese serves as an example of this. As language becomes more developed, inflection appears with greater frequency. The composition of the word reaches the kind of flexibility that is characteristic of the Semitic dialects. Language acquires the extreme abundance of grammatical suffixes that are observable in Tartarian where the verb has seven or eight moods, a full dozen tenses, and ten gerundial forms. In our own linguistic family, the highest point of that evolution is marked by Sanskrit. But evolution continues; in Latin and Old Slavic, there is less inflection than there is in Sanskrit. The longer a language lives, and the more people develop it by speaking, the more it tends to get rid of the old richness of inflection. Modern Slavic dialects are poorer than Old Slavic. There is less inflection in Italian, French, Spanish, and other Romance languages than there is in Latin; less inflection in German, Danish, Swedish, and Dutch, than in Gothic. English is indicative of the goal towards which all European languages will march, as far as inflection is concerned. At the outset of linguistic evolution, there are no cases; neither are there any at the end. In the grammatical evolution of language, the end corresponds to the beginning. The same fact is reproduced in all forms of intellectual and social life which have language as the common condition of their subsistence.   Excerpted from La Possession du Sol. What Is to Be Done?, by Nokolai Chernyshevsky Enrich Your Life With a Philosophy Book... Enrich Your Life With a Philosophy Magazine... Academy Showcase Specials     Introduction & Directory
-- Top of Page -- [Homepage] [Newsletter] [Search] [Support the Academy] [Link to Us] [Contact the Academy] [Citing Articles from Our Website] [Privacy Policy & Disclaimer] Copyright 1998-99, 2000-01, 2002-03, & 2004-05 by The Radical Academy. All Rights Reserved.