Studies of linguists on the origin of a particular language make it possible to judge the degree of kinship between different nationalities. You can not underestimate these searches, because sometimes in the course of an analysis the hidden secrets of mankind are found, which are of great importance. In addition, as a result of the investigation of the origin of world languages, more and more facts are found confirming that all means of communication take their roots from one source. There are various versions regarding the origin of a particular linguistic group. Consider the roots of the Indo-European language family.
What does this concept include?
The Indo-European language family was distinguished by linguistic scholars on the basis of great similarity, principles of similarity, proved using the comparative historical method. It included about 200 living and dead means of communication. This language family is represented by native speakers whose number exceeds the mark of 2.5 billion. Moreover, their speech is not limited to the framework of a particular state, it is distributed throughout the Earth.
The term "Indo-European language family" was introduced in 1813 by one of the famous English scientists Thomas Young. Interestingly, the British physicist is the first to decipher the Egyptian inscription named Cleopatra.
Origin hypotheses
Due to the fact that the Indo-European language family is considered the most widespread on the globe, many scientists are wondering where its native speakers come from. There are several versions about the origin of this linguistic system, brief information about which can be represented in this way:
1. Anatolian hypothesis. This is one of the first versions about the origin of the proto-language and about the common ancestors of the representatives of Indo-European groups. It was put forward by the English archaeologist Colin Renfrew. He suggested that the birthplace of this family of languages is the territory where the Turkish settlement Chatal-Hyuk (Anatolia) is now located. The scientist’s hypothesis was based on the finds found in this place, as well as on his work on the analysis using radiocarbon experiments. Another British scholar Barry Canliff, known for his work in the field of anthropology and archeology, is also considered a supporter of Anatolian origin.
2. Barrow hypothesis. This version was proposed by Maria Gimbutas, who was one of the prominent figures in the field of cultural studies and anthropology. In 1956, in her writings, she suggested that the Indo-European language family originated in the territory of modern Russia and Ukraine. The version was based on the fact that at that time a kurgan type and pit culture was developed, and that these two components gradually spread throughout most of Eurasia.
3. The Balkan hypothesis. Under this assumption, it is believed that the ancestors of the Indo-Europeans lived in the southeast of modern Europe. This culture originated in the area of the Balkan Peninsula and included a combination of material and spiritual values created in the Neolithic era. The scientists who advanced this version based their judgments on the principle of linguistics, according to which the "center of gravity" (that is, the homeland or source) of the language distribution lies in the place where the greatest variety of means of communication is observed.
Groups of the Indo-European language family include the most common modern means of communication. Studies of linguistic scientists prove the commonality of these cultures, as well as the fact that all people are related to each other. And this is the main thing that should not be forgotten, and only in this case can hostility and misunderstanding between different nationalities be prevented.