Animal communication vs. human language 1. - Similarities
Tarzan had many animal friends who he was
communicating with. He was told he wasn’t using a language but a different kind
of communication system because animals don’t have languages. But he didn’t
believe that his communication system wasn’t a language and he decided to pursue
it.
He went to discuss this with Charles Hockett
who was a linguistic anthropologist and was studying the distinguishing
characteristics of human language from animal communication.
Tarzan: ‘How are the forms of communication used
by animals different from human language?’
Hockett: ‘You know the vocal-auditory channel
is for human language. We hear and speak, right?’
Tarzan: ’So, are you saying that sign languages
are not languages? Aren’t there sign languages?’
Hockett: ‘Hmm. You are right. There are sign
and even written languages. Let’s look for something else! Aha! Humans
communicate with signs! Think about words! Words are the most commonly used signs
for human communication. ‘
Tarzan: ’Sorry, Mr. Hockett, but you are
confusing me. Do you mean that animals don’t use signs for communication? I
know many species that use them. For example, foxes have 20 distinct forms of
vocalization.’
Hockett: ‘Ok then. The difference lies in the
sounds. Humans express emotions by adding different tones to their words.’
Tarzan: ‘Actually, it’s a similarity again. My
vervet monkey friends use three distinct alarm calls depending on the type of
predator. Their babies use the same cry/ call for an incoming eagle and any
birds when they are very small, but then they learn distinct warning calls to
distinguish an eagle from other birds. Exactly the same way that a human baby
learns to call his/her mother with a different cry from the rest.’
Hockett: ‘Ok, but humans can communicate about
distant things in time or space. Animals cannot do that. We can call this
feature displacement’.
Tarzan: ‘Can they not? Well, listen to this.
Honeybees have two kinds of dances to communicate the distance of the food.
They dance in a circle if the food is 50-60 meters away and they use the waggle
dance if the food is further away. In addition, they point out the direction
where the food is located with their dance. They demonstrate displacement,
don’t they?’
Hockett: ‘Oh yes. There is one thing more. Can
animals lie? They can’t lie or deceive. It’s a specific human ability which is
called prevarication.’
Tarzan: ‘I am really sorry, but I have to
correct you again. Many of my animal friends lie or deceive continuously. Think
of insects that imitate being leaves. Isn’t it deception? Or don’t you know
Koko, the sign gorilla? She claimed that her kitten did something bad that she
(Koko) actually did.’
Hockett: ‘Oh no! So, what is the difference
between human language and animal communication?’
What do you think? Write your answer in the comments!