Final answer:
The current theories that deal with the time evolution of language propose various hypotheses about language emergence but lack agreement. The theories are predictive, not retroactive, and rely on indirect evidence. Language influences cognition and perception, as seen in the case of English and Mandarin Chinese speakers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The current theories that deal with the time evolution of language propose various hypotheses about how, why, when, and where language might have emerged. However, there is little agreement among scholars on this topic. The theories are not retroactive, but rather they attempt to make predictions about the origins and development of language based on indirect evidence such as the fossil record, archaeological evidence, and studies of language acquisition.
One theory that has gained attention is the linguistic determinism hypothesis, which suggests that language influences the way we think and perceive the world. For example, differences in language can impact cognitive performance on tasks related to temporal relationships, as seen in the case of English and Mandarin Chinese speakers.
In conclusion, the theories about the time evolution of language are not retroactive but rather predictive in nature. They aim to understand the origins and development of language based on indirect evidence and observations.