Animal and Human Language

Communication

Functions of Communication

Phatic

Metalinguistic

Referential

Directive

Expressive

Bee Dances

Waggle Dance

Sun Position

Distance and Direction

Productivity

Infinite Combinations

Limited Set of Sounds

Communicating

Purpose: Information traslate

Shared with Animals

Basic Human Function

Types of Signals

Instinctive

Learned

Auditory

Visual

Tactil

Chemical (Pheromones)

Communicative

Informative

Characteristics of Human language

Fixed reference

Specific time

Specific place

Fixed meaning

Flexibity of expression

Creativity

New expressions

Novel utterances

Infinite sentences

Unpredictable communication

Cultural transmission

Interaction with others

Learning

Cultural environment

Social contact

Displacement

Abstract ideas

Dreams

Emotions

Talk about past/future

Not limited to here and now

Duality

Two levels

Meaning

Sounds

Phonemes: meaningless alone

Morphemes: meaningful combinations

Talking to Animals

Teaching Animals Human Language

Kanzi (bonobo)

Lexigrams

Observing training

250 symbols

Koko (gorilla)

American Sign Language (ASL)

Around 1000 signs

Francine Patterson

Sarah (chimpanzee)

Premack

130 symbols

Plastic symbols

Washoe (chimpanzee)

100 signs

Allen and Beatrix Gardner

American Sign Language (ASL)

Limited Productivity compared to Humans

Controversy about Interpretation

Animals imitate rather than understand meaning