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Animal VS Human Language

This document discusses the origins and properties of human and animal language. It covers 6 theories of language origin and examines whether animals can learn and use language. The key properties of human language that distinguish it from animal communication are discussed, including displacement, arbitrariness, productivity, cultural transmission, and duality. Evidence from studies of chimpanzees attempting to communicate with humans using gestures and symbols is provided. The document concludes with discussion topics about differences between communication systems and evidence for cultural transmission of language.

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99 views15 pages

Animal VS Human Language

This document discusses the origins and properties of human and animal language. It covers 6 theories of language origin and examines whether animals can learn and use language. The key properties of human language that distinguish it from animal communication are discussed, including displacement, arbitrariness, productivity, cultural transmission, and duality. Evidence from studies of chimpanzees attempting to communicate with humans using gestures and symbols is provided. The document concludes with discussion topics about differences between communication systems and evidence for cultural transmission of language.

Uploaded by

Awder8
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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ANIMAL AND

HUMAN LANGUAGE
Week 2 (29.09.2019)
About • What were the theories of language
origin?
Origins of 1. The divine source
language 2. The natural sound source
3. The social interaction source
4. The physical adaptation source
5. The tool-making source
6. The genetic source
Animals • Can animals speak?
and human • Do you think animals can learn
language speaking?
• Do you think we can learn to
communicate with animals?
(learn their language)
Communicatio • Communicative signals are signals
that you have not intentionally sent
n whereas informative signals are
intended to be sent.
Properties • All creatures communicate in some

of Human way, even if it’s not through


vocalization.
language • Reflexivity is the use of language to
talk and think about language itself.
1. Displacement.
2. Arbitrariness.
3. Productivity.
4. Cultural transmission.
5. Duality.
Properties of • Animal communication seems to
Human be designed exclusively for this
moment, here and now.
language: • Humans can speak about past,
Displacemen present, and future and also
t things that are not present.
(things and places that are not
present)
Properties of • The connection between a
Human linguistic form and its meaning is
arbitrary.
language: E.g.
Arbitrariness Elephant‫فیل‬
• Onomatopoeic words are words
that imitate the sounds of nature.
Properties of • Productivity is the ability of
Human creating new expressions by
manipulating their linguistic
language: resources to describe new objects
Productivity and situations.
• Each signal in the communication
system of other creatures seems
to be fixed in terms of relating to a
particular occasion or purpose
Properties of • We acquire language in a
Human culture with other speakers
language: and not from parental genes.
Cultural • Animals are born with a set of
Transmissio specific signals that are
produced instinctively.
n
Properties • Human language is organized at
of Human two levels or layers
simultaneously.
language:
•N B I
Duality
Talking to • People talk to animals every now
Animals and then, but do they understand?
• Animals produces a particular
behaviour in response to a
particular sounds stimulus, but
does not actually “understand”
what the words in the noise mean.
Chimpanzee • Luella and Winthrop Kellogg raised their baby
son with an infant chimpanzee: Gua.
s and • Viki was able to produce some words.
language • Washoe was able to use signs for mre than a
hundred words.
• Sarah was taught to use plastic shapes
represented words that could be arranged in
sequence to build sentences.
• Kanzi developed a large symbol vocab. By the
age of 8, he was reported to be able to
demonstrate understanding of spoken English.
1. What is the difference between a communication
Discuss system with productivity and one with fixed
references?
2. Why is reflexivity considered to be a special
property of human language?
3. What kind of evidence is used to support the idea
that language is culturally transmitted?
4. How did the Garnders try to show that Washoe was
not simply repeating signs made interacting
humans?
5. If Sarah could use a gray plastic shape to convey
the meaning of the word red, which property does
her “language” seem to have?
6. What was considered to be the key element in
Kanzi’s language learning?
Discussion • Vocal-auditory channel use
topics • Specialization
• Non-directionality
• Rapid fade
• Reciprocity
• Prevarication

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