Animal “Languages”LANG501 - LINGUISTICS

Presented by :CHRISTINE JOANNE LIBRERO-DESACADOPhD in English, BSU21 JUNE 2015

DR. MATILDA DIMAANOLANG501 Professor

Animal “Languages”“An animal's eyes

have the power to speak a great language.”

― Martin Buber

Can communication exist without language?

Is language the exclusive property of the human species?

For instance, when in distress, the dolphin emits two whistles over and over again—one getting gradually louder, the other getting gradually softer. It silences any nearby dolphins and causes them to search for the source. Once found, that dolphin is pushed to the surface and a complex exchange of signals occurs.

For beings who do not have their own

language, communication can still exist.

The idea of talking animals is as old and widespread among societies

as language itself. All cultures have legends in which some animals

plays a speaking role.

If language is viewed only as a system of communication, then many species communicate. Humans also use systems other than language To relate to each other and

to send and receive “messages” like so-called

body language.

“Talking “ParrotMost humans who acquire language use

speech sounds to express meanings, butsuch sounds are not necessary aspect of language, as evidenced by the

sign language.

The chirping of birds, the squeaking of dolphins, and the dancing of Bees may potentially represent systems similar to human languages. If animal communication systems are not like human language, it is not because of a lack of speech.

When animals vocally imitate human utterances, it does not mean they possess language.

Language is a system that relates sounds or gestures to meanings.

Talking birds such as parrots and mynahs are capable of

faithfully reproducing words and phrases of human language

that they heard, but their utterances carry no meaning.

They are speaking neither English norlike their own language when they sound like us.

Most animals possesssome kind of “signaling” communicationsystem.

You Tube Video

Can Animals Talk? – the linguistics behind animal language

Viewing Activity

Descartes goes on to state that one of the majordifferences between humans and animals is that human use oflanguage is not just responseto external, or eveninternal, stimuli, as arethe sounds and gestures of animals.

Descartes also warns against confusinghuman languagewith “natural movementswhich betray passions and maybe…manifested by animals.”

Can Chimps Learn Human Language?

In their natural habitat, chimpanzees, gorillas, and othernonhuman primatescommunicate with each otherthrough visual, auditory,olfactory, and tactile signals.however, the natural sounds and gestures produced by all nonhuman primates are highly stereotypedand limited in the type and numberof messages they convey,consisting mainly ofemotional responses toparticular situations.They have no way of expressing the anger they felt yesterdayor the anticipation of tomorrow.

Viewing Time: How to Speak Chimpanzee - Extraordinary Animals - Series 2 – Earth*

Chimpanzee Communication

"The best thing about animals is that they don't

talk much." ~ Thornton Wilder

end of discussion