Language: Its Nature, Development and Origin

This work treats language as a living organism, tracing its growth from the moment a child first begins to speak. Drawing on years of careful observation of Danish youngsters—especially the author’s own son—it reveals how early speech patterns emerge, shift, and settle into a mature system. The first part offers vivid examples that make the science of language acquisition feel immediate and relatable.

Beyond the nursery, the book examines how outsiders and individual speakers continually reshape their tongues, prompting questions about whether such changes move language forward or backward. It challenges the traditional view of “blind” sound laws by presenting a nuanced theory of sound‑change grounded in real‑world data. Historical snapshots of well‑documented languages illustrate how these forces have operated across centuries.

The author also invites readers, particularly linguists in English‑speaking regions, to join the inquiry with fresh studies of child speech. By linking biological concepts to everyday language use, the text opens a dialogue about what counts as “correct” or “standard” and even hints at the possibilities of designing a scientifically grounded international tongue.