I mean, is human language in flux like everything exists in this world? It's actually argument of Heraclitus which says that everything is in flux or change but Language is fixed system so the faulty and limited but still useful to humans. Is that the really the case?
2 Answers
According to modern linguistics, languages are not static, but rather evolve (see Evolution of languages). Thus, e.g., most languages spoken in Europe today have evolved from a common ancestor (Proto-Indo-European language).
This descriptive approach to languages is opposed to more traditional prescriptive grammar and/or prestigious varieties of language, which suggests that there is a "correct" way to speak language.
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I mean, nature of language is generalization of something. Isn't it ? In such way isn't it language is limited so the static.– SchnozJul 26, 2022 at 16:16
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Language is not limited: the exact number of words in any language cannot be precisely defined, and even with a limited vocabulary one can form an infinite number of sentences. According to modern theories, there are some general abstract grammar rules encoded in human brain, but no more than that. See Universal grammar Jul 26, 2022 at 16:28
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@Schnoz Perhaps, you could add to the OP your definitions of static and dynamic. Jul 26, 2022 at 16:29
Languages are constantly evolving. New definitions arise from colloquialisms and old definitions fade into disuse. Take the word niggard:
"That niggard never leaves a tip when out for lunch."
This word is fading into extinction due to an unfortunate phonetic coincidence.
Or the word gay: "The party was a gay affair." This sentence had one meaning 100 years ago and it's not the current common meaning ascribed to it.
Dialects, even accents (southern accent vs New England) are constantly changing so I don't believe there is anything static about languages.
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I mean, nature of language is generalization of something. Isn't it ? In such way isn't it language is limited so the static.– SchnozJul 26, 2022 at 16:16
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Isn't the nature of language also to specify as well? A "tree" may be a generalization but an "alder" is a specific of the general. By allowing both, language offers a range of "trees" from oak to maple and allows for new trees to be discovered. I believe this is what forces language to be dynamic.– user59124Jul 26, 2022 at 18:03