How can it be that all the human languages form logical grammar structures without anyone defining them from the first place?

Question

It seems like grammar rules just form up on their own and no language is a “mess”, how can it be?

In: Other

Answer 1

I wouldn’t call grammar logical. It’s orderly to some degree, but it doesn’t have logic the same way math or philosophical proofs do.

The “rules” are just patterns that are more or less consistently observed. They change with time, unlike say, basic arithmetic.

A lot of the way languages are comes down to balancing time and energy cost with communicating adequately. Making up a new way of saying things is cool for poetic expression and super tedious for coordinating how you’re going to feed yourself and stay safe every day. Using existing conventions is more likely to lead to understanding and productive communication. So we might have individual style and preferences, but mostly we don’t stray too far from grammatical norms.

To not one understand people otherwise another. 🙂