y One of the properties we have as humans which makes

us different from other species is a capacity for acquiring and using a form of language which is far more complex than the language, or system of communication than any other species.

y There are other species that have communication

systems characterized by a certain degree of complexity, for instance, some songbirds, dolphins, monkeys and apes, and even some insects: honey bees can convey information to each other about the location of a source of nectar by moving their body in a certain pattern.

y 1. Animal: The signs of animal systems are inborn.

Human: The capacity to be creative with signs is inborn, y but the signs (words) themselves are acquired culturally.y

y . Animal: Communication is set responses to

stimuli

y Unlike animal language, human language is also

"stimulus-independent." That means that what you say isn't necessarily tied to what happens to you.

y Human languages are characterized for having a

double articulation (in the characterization of French linguist Andr Martinet). It means that complex linguistic expressions can be broken down in meaningful elements (such as morphemes and words), which in turn are composed of smallest phonetic elements that affect meaning, called phonemes. Animal signals, however, do not exhibit this dual structure.

y

isplacement: the referent may be removed in time or space.

y . Animal: Each sign has one and only one

function; each meaning can be expressed only in one way

y

Human: Signs often have multiple functions; one meaning can be expresses in many ways

productivityy Animal: Closed inventory of signs; only a set

number of different messages can be sent

y

Human: Open ended. Grammar (rules of syntax) allows a virtually unlimited number of messages to be constructed

y . Animal: Change extremely slowly, with the speed

of genetic evolution.

y

Human: Change rapidly as a cultural phenomenon

y Prevarication: speakers can - intentionally - make

utterances that are false or meaningless

y Reflexiveness: speakers can use a language to talk

about language

y Learnability: a speaker of a language can learn any of a

wide variety of languages