Currently, there are more than 7,000 languages ​​spoken around the world. There are more than 300 sign languages. According to sociological beliefs, language is not only a means of communication, but also our identity. How did language, which defines human life at every step, originate?

Many theories and legends are famous on this subject . The scriptures consider language a ‘divine gift’ . Scientific theories have linked it to continuous human development and discovery .

Charles Darwin put forward a theory on human development towards the end of the 19th century . In his book ‘The Descent of Man’ published in 1871, he pointed out the physical similarities between humans, chimpanzees and gorillas and wrote that ‘at some time the ancestors of humans and apes may have been the same’ . He concluded that ‘they are our closest living relatives’ . However, that ancestor is now extinct .

The ‘multiple origins’ theory put forward by scientists like Samuel George Morton, Josiah Nutt, George Gilden, Charles Caldwell was famous in the 19th century . According to them, humans did not originate and spread in a specific place, but rather evolved and evolved in different places. However, the 'multiple origins' theory has been rejected by science since the genome of Homo sapiens was found in the human body during modern tests.

The 'multiple origins' theory has been rejected by science since the genome of Homo sapiens was found in the human body during modern tests. In 2015, scientists discovered a 3.3 million-year-old stone weapon during research in northwestern Kenya. Which is the oldest stone found by research so far. This indicates that our ancestors learned the art of making weapons a long time ago. Many weapons indicating this had already been found.

During the course of human evolution, various species came into existence, became extinct, and new ones emerged. Scientific studies have concluded that the species that evolved as Homo sapiens about 300,000 or 200,000 years ago is the ancestor of modern humans. These humans, with their agile bodies and long legs, could walk long distances. Compared to previous species, their brain size and thinking ability had improved significantly.

They were accustomed to lighting fires, hunting, cooking, and defending themselves in unstable climates. They had learned this from their ancestors. Since they lived in groups, they wanted to inform everyone about new things they saw and potential dangers. According to researchers, humans had learned to express their emotions at this stage. However, it is unclear what exactly speech or signals were. Long-term memory capacity had developed at this stage.

Shigeru Miyagawa, a professor and researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US, led a research program called ‘Frontiers Psychology’ some time ago. In the process, she concluded that humans learned language about 135,000 years ago. In the process of preparing this working paper, 15 different genetic studies of different varieties published in the past 18 years were studied.

‘I think that language arose as a private thought about 135,000 years ago. But it quickly turned into a communication system,’ she said in an interview with MIT University. Based on the characteristics and behavioral characteristics of species before Homo sapiens, some researchers have said that ‘language ability may have been present in the human genome for tens of millions of years.’ However, Miyagawa’s conclusion is not limited to which species made sounds first. It is related to how humans developed the memory to develop language.

‘Human language is qualitative. Because it has words and combinations. This makes the linguistic system a unique and complex system,’ Miyagawa said, ‘No other animal has such a structured communication system. That is why we are able to communicate with others with very luxurious thoughts.’ As humans spread, they also left footprints or signs of their development on the earth.

From an estimated 67,000-year-old painting found in a limestone cave on Muna Island in Sulawesi province, Indonesia, to an estimated 50,000-year-old painting carved into a rock in a Murujugama area in Australia, human migration and transformation are reflected in the images. Scientists have done a lot of research on such archaeological heritage, relics and human migration.

In the 15th century, Johannes Gutenberg invented the modern printing press. It made literacy more accessible. Written language was transformed from a luxury for the elite to a means of everyday use for the common people. After thousands of years of history, about 12,000 years ago, humans began a new experiment, which we call the ‘agricultural revolution’. They began to sow seeds, tame wild animals, and build houses. This was not just a change in daily activities, but a revolutionary change in the understanding of human existence. This opened the door to civilization, trade, and government formation through settlement development and family over time. In this process, the need for language and communication was going to increase even more. After the invention of the plow in Mesopotamia about 5,000 years ago, agriculture became an integral profession for humans. Trade played a role in refining and spreading language. Communication was of great importance in taking seeds from one place to another and planting them, and in spreading inventions made in one place to the other corners of the world. Language facilitated this.

Along with the development seen in human civilization, new uses were also made in communication and language. Written language was also invented in Mesopotamia. Around 3200 BC, the Sumerian cuneiform language was written in inscriptions. According to the proven inscriptions found so far, it is the oldest written language.

From 800 BC to 500 BC, complex grammatical structures and literature had been developed in Sanskrit, Greek and Latin. This helped to determine the formal rules of today's language. In the 5th century, the wooden printing press was developed in China. This gave more importance to the role of language in documenting history.

In the 15th century, Johannes Gutenberg invented the modern printing press. It made literacy more accessible. Written language was transformed from a luxury of the elite to a means of daily use for the common people. From the end of the 20th century to the twenty-first century, the Internet, text messages, social media, etc. have made language simpler, more powerful, and more sophisticated. Nowadays, a single person learns and speaks multiple languages. Even those who do not have knowledge of languages ​​can interact with people of different languages ​​by translating languages ​​digitally. Sign language and brain script have also been refined.

Linguistic development in Nepal

The latest census of 2078 has identified 124 mother tongues. There are currently 124 mother tongues in Nepal. None of these languages ​​appear to have originated here, says linguist Dr. Taramani Rai. He believes that all these languages ​​have reached Nepal through human migration. ‘These languages ​​fall under 5 major language families. Indo-European languages, Sino-Tibetan languages, Southeast Asian languages, Dravidian languages ​​and monolingual languages. Kusunda belongs to a monolingual language family. It has no linguistic family. There is no evidence that it originated in Nepal. In Nepal, the Kharas-Aryan community speaks Indo-European languages ​​and a large population of indigenous people speak Sino-Tibetan languages. A study conducted by the Max Planck Institute in Germany shows that the Tibetan language separated from the Chinese language about 6,000 years ago and reached the Himalayan region of Nepal about 5,000 years ago. Many languages ​​of this family are spoken in Nepal today,’ says Rai.

Rai's study shows that the history of the Khas language is at least 1,000 years old based on the inscription of Damupal found in Dullu in Dailekh. This language was spoken in areas under the Khas empire, including Sinja, Parbat, Gorkha. 'After Prithvi Narayan Shah unified Nepal, the Khas language developed into the modern Nepali language. Gradually, this language became the most widely used language in speech. After the use of Nepali language in education, it became established as a standard,' says Rai, 'Language politics works to distort and spread the language. During the Panchayat period, only a few languages ​​were recognized as mother tongues. Because, at that time, the policy of 'one language, one costume, one country' was put forward. However, after the advent of democracy, multilingual identity began to be recognized, which made it easier to identify the mother tongue spoken in Nepal.’

The latest census of 2078 has identified 114 mother tongues. Languages ​​spoken in Nepal (Report of National Census 2078)

Languages ​​under Bharopeli family:

Nepali, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Bajjika, Awadhi, Doteli, Urdu, Maghi, Baitdeli, Laachhami, Rajvanshi, Khas, Bajhangi, Hindi, Ranatharu, Bajureli, Darchuleli, Angika, Majhi, Gangai, Bangla, Marwari, Dadeldhuri, Tajpuria, Kumal, Muslim, Sanskrit, Darai, Jumli, Bote, Pahri, Dailekhi, Kevert, Donne, Sign Language, Baragua, Sadri, English, Sonha, Kisan, Panjavi, Kurmali, Sindhi, Malpande, Sadhani, Haryanvi . Languages ​​under the Sino-Tibetan family:

Tamang, Nepali/Newari, Magar Dhut, Yakthung/Limbu, Gurung, Rai, Bantawa, Sherpa, Magar Kham, Chamling, Chepang, Kulung, Sunuwar, Thami, Thulung, Ghale, Sampang, Dhimal, Khaling, Wambule, Wahing/Bayung, Yakkha, Bhujel, Bhote, Yamfu/Yamphe, Nachhiring, Hyolmo/Yolma, Dumi, Mewahang, Puma, Pahari, Aathpahari, Dungmali, Jirel, Tibetan, Chum/Nubri, Chhantyal, Raji, Thakali, Meche, Koyi, Lohorung, Dolpali, Mugali, Zero/Jerung, Karmarong, Chhintang, Lhopa, Lapcha, Manange, Chiling, Dura, Tilung, Byansi, Balkura/Baram, Magar/Kaike, Hayu/Wayu, Dhuleli, Khamchi/Raute, Lunkhim, Lowa/Loba, Kagate, Waling/Walung, Nar-Phu, Lomi, Tichhorung Poike, Koche, Pangduwali, Belhare, Surel, Sam, Vankaria . Agnelli family and languages ​​under it:

Santali, Munda, Kharia . Dravideli family and related languages: