The digital origin of human language--a synthesis

Area of Science:

• Linguistics
• Molecular Biology
• Information Theory
• Evolutionary Biology

Background:

• The digital nature of all known languages raises questions about their evolutionary origin.
• Existing theories struggle to explain the rapid acquisition of complex grammar by children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel framework for understanding language origin and acquisition.
• To explore the interface between information theory and molecular development in language.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of molecular structures and information theory principles.
• Examination of isomorphisms between analog/digital features of language and molecular biology.
• Modeling neural reorganization via somatic network programming for language acquisition.

Main Results:

• Identified previously unrecognized molecular-level isomorphisms between language and life.
• Demonstrated how language can be viewed as signal transduction, subject to coding and pattern recognition.
• Proposed somatic network programming as a mechanism for digital language acquisition.

Conclusions:

• Language origin and acquisition can be explained by integrating information theory and molecular development.
• Molecular isomorphisms provide a basis for understanding the digital nature of language.
• Somatic network programming offers a solution to the 'Chomsky conundrum' of language acquisition.