Question

The linguist who propounded the theories of the origin of language :

• A. Leonard Bloomfield
• B. Otto Jesperson
• C. Noam Chomsky
• D. Edward Sapir

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Otto Jesperson

• Otto Jespersen was a Danish linguist renowned for his significant contributions to the study of the English language and the historical development of language.
• He is particularly celebrated for his work on the origins of language, proposing several influential theories.
• One of his key ideas is that early language may have originated from playful sounds and social interactions, an idea often referred to as the "pooh-pooh" or "bow-wow" theories, though he synthesized and expanded upon these.
• Jespersen’s theory suggests a gradual progression from instinctive sounds to more complex, intentional vocalizations.
• His seminal work, "Language: Its Nature, Development and Origin" (1925), delves deeply into these theories and provides a comprehensive historical overview of linguistic development.
• He also explored the concept of language as a social phenomenon, emphasizing its role in human connection and communication.
• Jespersen’s research was groundbreaking in its approach to understanding language evolution through a historical and comparative lens, influencing subsequent linguistic studies.
• His work often focused on the phonetic and grammatical evolution of English, making him a pivotal figure in English philology.