Evolution of Human Languages Georgiy Starostin

khoisan tribesman

the evolution of human languages (ehl) international project on linguistic prehistory of humanity coordinated santa fe institute. project distinguishes 6000 languages spoken in world nowadays, , aims provide detailed classification similar accepted classification of biological species.

their idea representatives of species homo sapiens presumably share common origin, [so] natural suppose - although goal yet achieved - human languages go common source. existing classifications, however, not go beyond 300-400 language families relatively easy discern. restriction has natural reasons: languages must have been spoken , evolving @ least 40,000 years (and quite more), while 2 languages separated common source inevitably lose superficially common features after 6,000-7,000 years .

george starostin s research here focuses on khoisan, formerly, bushman-hottentot languages of south africa. according starostin important work on khoisan languages has been done in past century, in descriptive , taxonomic area, not progress has been achieved in establishing regular phonological correspondences between main branches of khoisan , reconstructing phonological , morphological system of proto-khoisan.