The Significance of Archaeology in the Study of Language

Archaeology is vitally important when studying the evolution of language. In 2012 archaeologists unearthed numerous tablets in the palace at Tushan (Keys, 2012). Upon investigation, researchers were surprised to see that the language inscribed in the clay was previously unknown. Linguists and archaeologists are still trying to decipher these tablets. Archeology contributes to language in more creative ways as well. In 2015, scientists formed a language study based off of what they knew from artifacts such as Oldowan tools. Using the theory that language developed due to a need for making tools, Thomas Morgan and his team recreated a prehistoric scenario (Balter, Mervis, Pennisir & Vogel, 2017).

Some students were taught how to make the tools, others had to learn through various degrees of communication. As predicted, the students who were able to communicate verbally were able to recreate the tools much faster than the non-verbal groups. Lastly, archaeology can also analyze things like tooth shape to speculate as to what types of sounds the creature made.

It is clear that language has evolved and continues to do so. Evidence of changing language can be seen in the different dialects throughout the world. Each region adapted its own sort of ommunication, and immigration/emigration contributed to how the languages developed. Event few decades, English has changed tremendously. There are many examples of slang or altered definitions in the modern world. One word that has changed meaning i the 2010s, a troll was “a mythical, cave-dwelling being depicted in folklore as either a giant or a dwarf, typically having a very ugly appearance.

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” However, society has transformed troll to describe “a person who intentionally antagonizes others online by posting inflammatory, irrelevant, or offensive comments or other disruptive content.”