proto-language
nounEtymology From proto- + language.
1
Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences A language which is reconstructed by examining similarities in existing languages in order to deduce the form and aspects of a common ancestor language that is no longer known.
2
Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences The early utterances produced by an infant before it acquires a true language.
- Synonyms
- ur-language, Ursprache
- Related terms
- reconstructed language