The Evolution of Vowel Sounds in Language
Many have asked the questions: how did spoken language come to have so many diverse sounds? Where did the vowel sounds come from? Did they evolve naturally or was it decided in some kind of preconcieved act to place the particular vowels in their positions in words. For example, why is the word “potato” not “petati” or “puteta”?
A dictionary
The answer is more simple than one may think. Early in the evolution of language there were no vowel sounds. The first evolutions of man simply didn’t know that they could be made. When any communication was made it took the form of short bursts of consonants (“ptt”, “jmp”, “bck”, etc). These sounds were faster for more efficient communication and were only needed to convey the simple commands and requests of primitive mankind.
A portrayal of a primitive man
But as time went on, communication got more elaborate, there was more to say and more needed saying. Over time as these simple strings of consonants were spoken again and again, down the generations vowel sounds began to evolve.
Some consonants
If you notice, when you speak strings of consonant sounds, it seems that your mouth is more likely to insert a particular vowel rather than another. “Rp” becomes “rope” and “rst” becomes “rest” more readily than “ripe” or “rust”. Much in this fashion did vowel sounds make their way into language as we know it today.
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