Human Language vs. Animal Communication

1 Human Language ReviewAnimal CommunicationSummaryHuman Language vs. AnimalCommunicationLinguistics 101 Human Language vs. Animal CommunicationHuman Language ReviewAnimal CommunicationSummaryOutline1 Human Language Review2 Animal CommunicationHoneybeesBirdsDogsNon- Human Primates3 SummaryHuman Language vs. Animal CommunicationHuman Language ReviewAnimal CommunicationSummaryWhat Is Human Language ? Human Language consists of a lexicon and a features of Human Language :SemanticityPragmatic functionInterchangeabilityCultural transmissionArbitrarinessDiscretenessDis placementProductivityHuman Language vs. Animal CommunicationHuman Language ReviewAnimal CommunicationSummaryHoneybeesBirdsDogsNo n- Human PrimatesAnimal Language ?

2 Animals can convey various message to each other, such as:feelings (anger, fear)warningsdesire/willingness to matelocation of food sourcesNonetheless, animals lack anything like Human aspects/features of Human Language are missing in animalcommunication systems? Human Language vs. Animal CommunicationHuman Language ReviewAnimal CommunicationSummaryHoneybeesBirdsDogsNo n- Human PrimatesHoneybee DanceDance to communicateDance communicates direction and distance to food sourceNot entirely arbitraryQuestionHow does the dance indicate direction?How does the dance indicate distance?Honeybee Dance Language vs. Animal CommunicationHuman Language ReviewAnimal CommunicationSummaryHoneybeesBirdsDogsNo n- Human PrimatesBirdcalls and Bird SongsBirdcalls (one note)messages about surroudingsBird songs (patterns of notes)territorial purposesmating purposesEuropean Robin s songcomplexdespite complexity, only high-low alteranation is importantindicate degree of willingness to defend territoryHuman Language vs.

3 Animal CommunicationHuman Language ReviewAnimal CommunicationSummaryHoneybeesBirdsDogsNo n- Human PrimatesBirds and Human LanguageSome birds can imitate Human speech. Is this Language ?cannot learn structurecannot create novel utterancesimitate sounds regardless of sourceLyre Language vs. Animal CommunicationHuman Language ReviewAnimal CommunicationSummaryHoneybeesBirdsDogsNo n- Human PrimatesDogs and Human LanguageDogs learn to understand certain famous dog (concerning Language ) is Chaserlearned more than 1,000 nouns (for toys)performs basic actions in response to commands consisting ofa verb (paw, nose, take) and a noundemonstrated power of deduction when asked to find novelobjectChaser , longer video (starting at 10:42) Human Language vs.

4 Animal CommunicationHuman Language ReviewAnimal CommunicationSummaryHoneybeesBirdsDogsNo n- Human PrimatesPrimate CommunicationIn their native systems:callsare species-dependentlack displacementlack productivityHuman Language vs. Animal CommunicationHuman Language ReviewAnimal CommunicationSummaryHoneybeesBirdsDogsNo n- Human PrimatesPrimates and Human LanguagePrimates are physically unable to produce Human are known to use communicative gestures in these reasons, modern studies with non- Human primatesrely on sign Language or other visual Communication Language vs. Animal CommunicationHuman Language ReviewAnimal CommunicationSummaryHoneybeesBirdsDogsNo n- Human PrimatesPrimates and Human LanguageStudies: Washoe and Kokolearned 100-200 signsclaims of novel utterances (generally 2-word)Study: Nim Chimpskyrarely initiated conversationsigns often simply repetition of trainerno evidence of grammarlongest utterance: give orange me give eat orange me eatorange give me eat orange give me you Human Language vs.

5 Animal CommunicationHuman Language ReviewAnimal CommunicationSummaryHoneybeesBirdsDogsNo n- Human PrimatesPrimates and Human LanguageKoko the interaction between Koko and the trainer. Whoinitiated conversation? How much did Koko talk ? How accuratewas Koko?Lana are random symbols used for Lana? How well does Lana speak ? What should we make of Lana s repitition? Human Language vs. Animal CommunicationHuman Language ReviewAnimal CommunicationSummaryHoneybeesBirdsDogsNo n- Human PrimatesPrimates and Human LanguageSome general issues with primate need extensive trainingtraining focuses on very specific templatestrainers sometimes add own interpretationlearning of grammar ( syntax) is lackingresults are sometimes anecdotal rather than experimentalprimates do not pass down ability to sign to their youngclaims that primates have learned or aquired Human languageare greatly exaggeratedHuman Language vs.

6 Animal CommunicationHuman Language ReviewAnimal CommunicationSummarySummaryWhat can animals do?Some can learn hundreds of can associate meaning with show understanding of simple, novel animals merely exhibit stimulus-response to learn structure is utterances are Language vs. Animal Communicatio