The highly respected 1972 study of John P. Kildahl (The Psychology
of Speaking in Tongues) concludes that "from a linguistic point
of view, religiously inspired glossolalic utterances have the same
general characteristics as those that are not religiously inspired." In
fact, glossolalia is a "human phenomenon, not limited to Christianity
nor even to religious behavior." (Dictionary of Pentecostal and
Charismatic Movements by Spittler, P. 340).
Experts in the field of linguistics have diligently studied the phenomenon
of glossolalia over a period of many years. One of the early investigations
was made in the early 1960's by Eugene A. Nida. He provided a detailed list
of reasons why glossolalia cannot be human language. Another early study, that
of W.A. Wolfram in the year 1966, also concluded that glossolalia lacks the
basic elements of human language as a system of coherent communication.
In a massive study of glossolalia from a linguistic perspective by Professor
William J. Samarin of the University of Toronto's Department of Linguistics
published after more than a decade of careful research, he rejected the view
that glossolalia is xenoglossia, i.e. some foreign language that could be understood
by another person who knew that language. Samarin concluded that glossolalia
is a "pseudo-language." He defined glossolalia as "unintelligible babbling
speech that exhibits superficial phonological similarity to language, without
having consistent syntagmatic structure and that is not systematically derived
from or related to known language." (William J. Samarin, "Variation and Variables
in Religious Glossolalia," Language in Society, ed. Dell Haymes, Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1972 pgs. 121-130)
Felicitas D. Goodman, a psychological anthropologist and linguist, engaged
in a study of various English - Spanish - and Mayan-speaking Pentecostal communities
in the United States and Mexico. She compared tape recordings of non-Christian
rituals from Africa, Borneo, Indonesia and Japan as well. She published her
results in 1972 in an extensive monograph (Speaking in Tongues: A Cross-Cultural
Study in Glossolalia by Felecitas D. Goodman, University of Chicago Press,
1972).
Goodman concludes that "when all features of glossolalia were taken into
consideration--that is, the segmental structure (such as sounds, syllables,
phrases) and its suprasegmental elements (namely, rhythm, accent, and especially
overall intonation)-- she concluded that there is no distinction in glossolalia between
Christians and the followers of non-Christian (pagan) religions .
The "association between trance and glossolalia is now accepted by many researchers
as a correct assumption," writes Goodman in the prestigious Encyclopedia of
Religion (1987).
Goodman also concludes that glossolalia "is, actually, a learned behavior,
learned either unawarely or, sometimes consciously." Others have previously
pointed out that direct instruction is given on how to "speak in tongues," ie.
how to engage in glossolalia.
In fact, it has been found that the "speaking in tongues" practiced
in Christian churches and by individual Christians is identical
to the chanting language of those who practice voodoo on the darkest continents
of this world .
Those who speak in tongues are also becoming involved in "holy laughter" -
laughing uncontrollably, falling down on the ground, rolling around, having
seizure-like activity, being struck dumb, or being "slain in the spirit."