[thomaswest]

This is interesting. Evolution of the species is a good description of life on earth. Everybody recognizes that languahge has evolved--Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese, Romanian from Latin. English, modern German, Dutch from Old Teutonic. Etc. Evolution of language is well-documented, showing modification over generations, selection based on surroundings, and nobody pretends it was "intelligently designed".

Seems to be a good model for evolution vs. creationism.

[Netheron]

Of course language was intelligently designed. It was clearly designed by intelligences to improve communication of concepts and ideas.

Obviously, though, these intelligences designed and modified it on an ad-hoc basis.

Oddly enough, Esperanto, an intelligently designed language, has not caught on. Maybe designing language in an ad-hoc manner has some real advantages over pre-planning it?

[JCEccles]

Evolution of language is well-documented, showing modification over generations, selection based on surroundings, and nobody pretends it was "intelligently designed".

You don't believe language changes as a result of mental reflection and effort?

The evidence that language is the result of not merely intelligent agents, but agents with exceptionally large brains, is not only self-apparent, it is overwhelming.

If this weren't true, rocks would speak--and in local dialects.

[Mamzelle]

Actually, that's pretty silly. But far be it from me to keep an evo from boring everyone to death beating his one-note drum.

The most interesting things going on right now with language have to do with designing computer languages--they are beginning to develop programs whereby computers can *generate* their own grammar.

[Great Caesars Ghost]

Where did Latin come from?

[ApplegateRanch]

Evolution of language is well-documented, showing modification over generations, selection based on surroundings, and nobody pretends it was "intelligently designed".

Granting that most humans are anything but "intelligent" (crafty, sly, scheming, 'learned', cunning, etc; yes. Intelligent, not) you may be onto something. In that case, "like Topsy, it just grew."

OTOH, the few intelligent humans around would be the 'intelligence' behind the evolution of human language.

Back to square one in the argument. That is the square where everyone squares off at each other, rather than displaying intelligence.

AFAIK, language DEVOLVES, as the common people use & abuse it, reducing it to the simplest, crudest form possible to still communicate the barest modicum of everyday drivel.

For "proof" look at emails and SMS-speak, and listen to Liberal talking...