Evolution in Language

Having learnt three different languages on three different points in my life has taught me but one thing only. The way humans construct languages is brimming with flaws and imperfections. Take for example this sentence “I am having dinner”. What if this 6 syllable sound was reduced to only 1 syllable like “lik”. Now every time anyone says “Lik” we know that person is having dinner. Take another sample sentence like “the dinner is delicious”. Let us use the monosyllabic “Rut” to mean this.

What if we could construct a whole language like that. Virtually all the sentences that one can construct in a language will be coded with a single syllabic sound. I concede that it will drastically increase the number of words in the dictionary of this language and non-native speakers will find learning this language more difficult than learning German but just imagine the increase in the velocity of communication between people. Things like “Do you like it?” will be replaced with “Nak” and thats it. The point if across.

However, I wonder what effect having such a language will  have on the culture of the human civilization. Would conversations be shorter? Would we speak less? Would people have thoughts that they don’t have words for? How would poetry in such a language flourish, if at all. How would that language evolve? Would there be slang in it? How about curse words? Or would it be just too hard to learn. After all there can be virtually an infinite number of sentences in a language. Could we ever run out of syllables? We could start using two syllables then. But how do I know that isn't the way our current languages started. These questions can only be answered if such a language were to exist.

But for now, let us put this theory into test and see if the reader understands this piece of communication.

“Lik”

“Nak?”                                                                                         

“Rut”.

On our language and the language of our dear beloved neighbours

So when I came in contact with people from Germany I was surprised to find out they didn't know that spoken Urdu and spoken Hindi were very similar languages so much so that we can understand each other completely. I dont blame them. I mean after all everybody knows we dont have the best of relations. But its quite fascinating to be cursed and hurled abuses at in your own national language. It adds quite a flavour to it. I kid here, because on the people to people level. We couldn't be a more similar bunch of people

There IS one difference that I have noted and will like to jot down here. Some Indian people I have met have remarked on my Urdu that its quite "respectful" or "it has some unique words" and that the "pronunciation is beautiful". But I think that's the result of years of reputation held by Urdu as that stately, very civil and "cultured?" language because I think I speak quite normal and not at all well or beautifully

BUT it has led me to something I never thought I would. Now when I meet Indians I actually try to speak those heavy duty, hard sounding, clean throated "pure" and extremely Urdu sounding words and I make the structure of the language as the one in Mughal times. :(.  Hey I am not proud of it but I do it. The last time I did that I even told myself that its crazy and that it doesn't matter. and in any case I am making myself harder to understand. but hey. Put me and an Indian in the same room. and just see how nicely I speak Urdu.

I found myself using words like "tamaddun" "tahzeeb" "khalis" "muttafiq, Taluq and ittefaq" and heck even "yalabari. Quite some words I wouldn't use otherwise. But hey, a mans gotta boast sometimes on some things. This happens to be weird but thats my "that sometime".

p.s If you are an Indian and reading this. I am so sorry :( "mein yeh amal dobara hargiz nahin duhraonga"