International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume V, Issue I, January 2018 | ISSN 2321–2705
Evolution of Communication
Sandhya.R
Assistant Professor, Department of English, AITS, Tirupati, India
Abstract: Our present state of the world in which we live is, The art of communication has evolved over the years.
because of certain systems like social, political, economic, It goes back in time to the biblical era, mythological times and
religious………etc. all these wove together into a complex even to the pre-historic period. People learnt to express
structure called society. We live in what has been called the themselves from sounds, grunts, actions, signs, gestures and
‘Informatic Age’ the electronic media bombards our sense with
gesticulations to the spoken word and thereafter to the world
all sorts of sounds and pictures bytes. The advent of
globalisation and privatisation is injecting changes in our life of reading, writing and modern and sophisticated methods of
styles. In the borderless world that we are moving, competition communication. Which had been took a very long fascinating
is fierce, be it in resource management or in capturing markets. and rewarding journey through time. According to scholars
Globalization has opened up fantastic opportunities not only for there are different theories regarding the origin of language or
trade and technology transfer but also for the technician speech.
engineers, accountants and managers….all these began with the
art of communication. It is as old as mankind itself. It is older 1. The Bow-Wow theory:
than the written word or even the spoken word. Human beings
This theory says that the earliest speech was produced by
learnt to communicate much before they learnt to speak, read or
write. People learnt to express themselves from sounds, grunts,
man’s attempting to imitate characteristic sounds of animals.
actions, signs, gestures. Different theories regarding the origin of A child differentiates a dog from other animals by its bark.
language or speech, the main theories are the bow-wow, the pooh To him dog is an animal that says Bow-wow. Here the chid is
- pooh, the ding dong, the gesture, the yo-he-yo, the musical, the imitating the natural sounds (such as cries of animals). This
contact.. tendency to imitate is the beginning of language.
Key words: complex structure, informatic age, globalization, For example: - In the word snake. We find the hissing sound
privatisation, communication, bow-wow, pooh pooh, ding dong, and in the word water we find the liquid sound.
gesture, yo-he-yo, musical, contact
2. The Pooh - pooh theory:
I. INTRODUCTION This theory says that speech goes back to emotional cries
expressive of pain, joy, surprise, pleasure etc. Our language is
C ommunication is at once the course and consequence of
powerful world order. Development of varied and
sophisticated means of communication over a period time has
a refinement of the cries. Pooh is an exclamation of showing
contempt or dislike. The modern verb ‘ pooh’ implies the
brought human beings across the globe closer and has same meaning.
facilitated speedy and effective transmission of thoughts and 3. The Ding dong theory:
ideas. Communication galvanizes action among individuals,
organisations, societies and the world community at large. This theory is associated with eminent German Scholar
That is why communication is not unique to human beings. Max.Muller. He says that beginning of language is found in
Communication encompasses all living beings and pervades the sense of rhythm. Through rhythm it is related to universe.
the animal world as well. Birds and animals also This theory also speaks of imitation of sound. There is
communicate. The sounds they make carry some meaning. rhythm in the flowing of water and in swaying trees. The man
must have ding-donged phonemically with them. The habit of
Human beings are different from other beings in that whistling while engaged in manual work is even now found
they (human beings) have developed a very complex system, common.
language, to communicate with one another. Language is a
system of convertial signals which are used for 4. The Gesture Theory:
communication. The signals are generally of two types. This theory says that the earliest method of communication is
1) Aural (addressed to the ear) by signs and gestures. The movement of hands is
spontaneous and natural. Even in the present we use it to
2) Visual (addressed to the eye) speak to a foreigner who does not understand our language.
Each language has its own aural and visual signals. Much Every gesture of the hand and head is accompanied by a
before human beings learnt to speak; they had learnt to corresponding movement of the tongue, the lips or the jaws.
express themselves through sounds, gestures and actions. It is Thus in course of time man is supposed to have passed from
not that those who can’t communicate. sign language to spoken language.
5. The Yo-he-Yo-theory:
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International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume V, Issue I, January 2018 | ISSN 2321–2705
This theory is put forwarded by 19th century scholar, Noire.
This foresees language arising from the noises made by a
As human beings progressed on this fascinating
group of men enlarged in joint labour like moving a tree trunk
journey he learnt to convey messages through sounds, cries
or lifting a rock. We all know from experience that while
and drumbeats. The spoken word added a new dimension to
performing work of this kind, we make involuntary voices or
the world of learning. Sages and saints of yore (long ago)
noises.
learnt to pass on sacred verses and holy texts through word of
6. The Musical theory mouth. Thereafter, human beings learnt to use symbols and
pictures to convey messages. Early Writing was on stones
This theory sees the origin of language in song or at any rate
and leaves. As human beings progressed, communication
sees speech and music as emerging from something earlier
evolved further. The invention of printing revolutionised the
that included both. It was put forward by Danish Linguist
process of communication. Side by side, various inventions
Otto Jesperson.
made possible the recording of the spoken word and its
7. The Contact theory transmission, irrespective of time and distance. Gradually the
emergence of new media added new dimensions to the world
This theory has been recently advanced by G. Revesz, a
of Communication.
former professor of Amsterdam. He sees language as arising
through man’s instinctive need for contact which he follows.
REFERENCES
II. CONCLUSION [1]. William J.Long, English Literature, A.I.T.B.S publishers (2003)
[2]. Indrajit Bhattacharya, An Approach to Communication Skills,
The above theories have something true of them, but not Educational &Technical publishers (2010)
complete and satisfactory. We can only understand [3]. Moore, Ninja-Jo, et al. Nonverbal Communication: Studies and
Applications. New York, Oxford University Press, (2010).
something of the nature of language, through a study of the
various processed of its development in form and meaning
during the last seven thousand years.
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