eli5 How did “words” come to be before any language was developed? Like before words existed how did a group of people just collectively decide a banana is a banana and not a “ksirjrnwpx”

Question

eli5 How did “words” come to be before any language was developed? Like before words existed how did a group of people just collectively decide a banana is a banana and not a “ksirjrnwpx”

In: 11

Answer 1

Usage, I suppose. The Oxford dictionary is constantly adding words as they enter the zeitgeist, as more and more people refer to (something) by the same word. It may start as a quirk, or a sound bite, then become slang, then unofficial/ colloquial usage, then formally accepted as part of the language.