I know I can research this, but I don't have time or space at the moment. But I'm wondering:
when did humans start giving their babies distinct names?
Was the first true name just the sound that the mother kept making over and over every time she interacted with the infant? And the rest of the tribe started making the same sound in regard to the infant?
Or was it something more complex than that? I'm assuming adults "named" each other sometime before they first named their infants....
1/
After all, if the woman wants the man to hand her that piece of flint over there, she's got to get his attention. If she just makes a random grunt in his general direction, there's no guarantee he'll respond. She's gotta have a sound she makes that only he answers to. "Og," she utters, and he turns toward her. "Flint," she says, pointing. And Oh hands her the flint and makes a noise like "Ung," which is the sound he makes only for her.
I dunno, I'm probably on the totally wrong track...
2/3
...anthropologically speaking. But I'm having fun thinking about it. ☺️
This was inspired by the fact that Cary Grant was assigned "Archibald Leach" at birth. AALAB.
3/3
Court Cantrell does not comply
Tawtovo (ܬܘܬܒܐ)