The Ages of Language

We categorize most intellectual information to facilitate selective study and learning efforts. We divide scientific endeavors into the physical sciences and life sciences, each with many sub categories, and these divisions remain fairly static. The categories in the study of human history, however, change whenever a historian imposes their own perspectives. Will and Ariel Durant, for example, divided history into; Our Oriental Heritage The Life of Greece Caesar and Christ The Age of Faith The Renaissance The Reformation The Age of Reason Begins The Age of Lois the XIV Other categories abound and each reflects the unique perspective of the scribe recording the activities of the past. I am no exception. My preference for categorization is to divide human history into periods differentiated by the preferential uses of language, not which language was preferred, but how language was preferentially used to express the most common attitudes and perspectives of the time. My categories are; The Age of Aggrandizing Languages The Age of Commiseration The Age of Allegories The Age of Directive Languages The Age of Expanded Meanings The Age of Expanded Communication In a blog of reasonable length, and considering that I do not have enough years left to duplicate the investigative detail of Will and Ariel Durant, I offer only an overview of why, and how, my categories are indicative of a separate age and hope others will follow my thinking to see if the categories have merit. The Age of Aggrandizement is long and encompasses the early development of language to include titles and self aggrandizing terms used to promote the self importance of those holding social power. From early tribal leaders to Pharaohs the languages of this period are rife with honorific and aggrandizing terms reflecting the perspective preferences of the period for inclusive social organizations under a strong leadership. The Age of Commiseration began with the introduction of monotheism and grew from the follow-on idea that a divinely appointed human might not be needed for access to the new god. Groups separated from long established aggrandized empires became outcasts and as they struggled to establish their identity and their language evolved to include many self deprecating words and phrases. The Old Testament is as much a testament to the struggle of the dispossessed as it is to the adjustment of their language to express their attitude of being the suppressed chosen few. The Age of Allegories began as Roman rule expanded into areas where languages had become truly self indulgent. As Latin began to erode the languages and perspectives of peoples not accustomed to the harsh factual meanings of Latin, those still using native tongues began to use allegories to evangelize and to avoid repercussions from their Roman rulers. Being less direct, a message or lesson given as an allegory seemed more like an example of a hidden truth than a factual comment and quickly became preferred method of speaking and writing. The New Testament is evidence of the increased use of allegories during this period with both Jesus and Paul using allegories extensively. Jesus used them to advantage by turning any event or situation into an allegorical message. Near a well he would speak of the water of life. Near the sea he would speak of fisher’s of men. During a meal he would talk of symbolic eating and drinking. Jesus spoke only to the Jews but as Paul took Jesus’ message further he Jesus’ example and filled his letters to new churches with allegorical examples and lessons. The Age of Directive Languages began as Europe developed a multitude of kingdoms and as tribal disputes in The Middle East were resolved to become the Koran. The Bible was also translated and transformed by secular rulers anxious to take advantage of the appeal of religious messages promising life after death if one were compliant. Directive passages are prevalent in the Koran and became emphasized in revisions of both the Old and New Testaments. The Age of Expanded Meanings was born of necessity as naturalists and scientists began to expose a reality we had log ignored because we were caught up in religious perspectives directing a head down eyes closed perspective as a requirement for entry into an after life. When a few brave men disobeyed church directives and began to ask nature questions using the scientific method of test and verify, nature willingly gave up her secrets, and with mountains of new information to deal with, languages had to expand. A dictionary from the twelfth century is much smaller than a dictionary from the twentieth century. The Age of Communication has grown out of The Age of Expanded Meanings. Discovery and exploration yield technological advances as a natural consequence of exploration requiring new tools and the spin off of opportunities for new inventions. From this cooperative creative system we now can talk to anyone on the planet using a small device we carry in our pocket, stay informed, learn and are entertained by thousands of communicative channels and are having our languages and our behavior changed in ways we cannot predict.