Do Animals Have Language

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Do Animals Have Language?

• Linguistics 101

2
Animal languages

• Talking parrots
• Also use speech sounds.
• Meaningless utterances.
• Lack of discreteness.
• Lack of productivity and creativity.
• (But how about Alex?) http//www.bl.uk/collections
  /sound-archive/listentonature/specialinterestlang/
  langofbirds14.html

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Animal languages

• Birds
• Have a communicative function.
• There may be dialects within the same species.
• Messages that can be conveyed are limited.
• Messages are stimulus-controlled.
• Birdcalls
• - consisting of one or more short notes.
• - to convey messages associated with the
  immediate environment.
• Bird songs
• - consisting of more complex pattern of notes.
• - To stake out territory and attract mates.
• - No evidence of internal structure to the songs.

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Animal languages

• Bees
• Have a communicative function to reveal the
  location and quality of the food source.
• Mode of communication dancing.
• Have patterns but not combined in various ways
  to produce novel messages.
• Confined to a single subject FOOD.

5
Animal languages

• The non-human primates (in their natural
  habitat)
• Mode of communication visual, auditory,
  olfactory (scent), tactile signs.
• The signals have meaning associated with the
  immediate environment or emotional state.
• The signals are highly stereotyped and limited in
  the type and number of messages they convey.

6
Communication Systems

• Characteristics
• Semanticity Signals have meanings.
• Pragmatic function serves some purpose (to stay
  alive).
• Interchangeability Individual can both send and
  receive message.
• Cultural transmission Certain aspects of the
  system must be transmitted from an experienced
  user to a learner.

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Communication Systems

• Characteristics
• 5 Arbitrariness There is no natural or inherent
  connection between a token and its referent.
• 6 Discreteness complex messages built up of
  smaller parts that can be recombined.
• 7 Displacement the ability to talk about things
  that are not immediately present.
• 8 Productivity the ability to produce and
  understand new messages.

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Communication system
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Communication system

• Human language VS animal communication system
• Language is one mode of communication system
  among many others. ? Language ¹ communication
  system
• Human language and animal communication systems
  only share certain characteristics. ? animal
  communication systems are different from human
  language.
• Why?
• Humans possess a better ability to use symbols
• Human language is more flexible and productive in
  manipulating these symbols.
• Note This does not mean humans are superior
  humans also lack many communicative skills that
  animals possess.