Question of the Day
If language evolved to allow us to exchange information, how come most people cannot understand what most other people are saying?
More:
The real puzzle is that the greatest diversity of human societies and languages arises not where people are most spread out, but where they are most closely packed together.
Full piece worth reading via Robin Hanson.
“People quite often find it prohibitively hard to talk merely because different groups have gotten into the habit of talking differently, even though their concepts could be translated without great difficulty. And members of these groups often go out of their way to signal group loyalty by choosing to talk differently than outsiders.”
This is especially prevalent among subculture and counter-culture movements. People seek to belong to distinguished groups so fervently – as to distinguish themselves as unique or different from society – that they will overtly modify their own speech.
This is interesting.
This is interesting and the explanation is not obvious.
I agree, very interesting. Developed language in the interests exchanging information, not solidarity.
The article is locked. I think this definitely makes sense though.