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Why aren't there click languages outside of Africa?
Only Demiin? Why aren't there more? Any ideas?
2 Answers
- 1 decade agoFavorite Answer
There aren't any SOLELY click-based languages outside of specific parts of Africa, but there are lots of languages that use clicks similar to those in Africa -- we even use clicks in English when we say things like 'tsk' or 'tut tut'. I suspect this is because those areas (in Africa) were relatively closed off and secluded, while places like Europe and the Middle East were interacting with outsiders constantly, giving their languages more opportunity for change and development.
According to wikipedia, "click loss" occurs when clicks are replaced with consonant sounds. I googled 'click languages' and there was an article stating that click languages might be what original human language most closely sounded like. I'd suspect that, apart form the preserved languages in Africa, the others just evolved as languages are apt to do.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
Apparently because there is no way for a language to develop clicks if it does not have them to begin with. Or, if there is one, it is extremely difficult, hence rare.