Mythical origins of language

There have been many accounts of the origin of language in the world's mythologies and other stories pertaining to the origin of language, the development of language and the reasons behind the diversity in languages today.

These myths have similarities, recurring themes, and differences, having been passed down through oral tradition. Some myths go further than just storytelling and are religious, with some even having a literal interpretation even today. Recurring themes in the myths of language dispersal are floods and catastrophes. Many stories tell of a great deluge or flood which caused the peoples of the Earth to scatter over the face of the planet. Punishment by a god or gods for perceived wrongdoing on the part of man is another recurring theme.

Myths regarding the origins of language and languages are generally subsumed or footnoted into larger creation myths, although there are differences. Some tales say a creator endowed language from the beginning, others count language among later gifts, or curses.

The Hebrew Bible attributes the origin of language per se to humans, with Adam being asked to name the creatures that God had created.

One of the most well known examples in the West is the Tower of Babel passage from Genesis. It tells of God punishing humanity for arrogance and disobedience by means of the confusion of tongues.

This became the standard account in the European Middle Ages, reflected in medieval literature such as the tale of Fénius Farsaid.

Vāc is the Hindu goddess of speech, or "speech personified". As brahman "sacred utterance", she has a cosmological role as the "Mother of the Vedas". She is presented as the consort of Prajapati, who is likewise presented as the origin of the Veda. She became conflated with Sarasvati in later Hindu mythology.

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