Language and Humans Animal Communication

1. Introduction to Language and Humans Vocalizations and Sounds

Language is one of the defining ●​ Animals employ a wide range of
characteristics of humans, distinguishing us from vocalizations to convey
other species. It is a system of communication messages.
that enables individuals to express thoughts, ●​ Birds utilize songs and calls to
emotions, and intentions through words, communicate territorial
gestures, and symbols. Language plays a central boundaries, mating availability,
role in shaping human identity, society, and and warnings.
culture. ●​ Mammals use vocalizations such
Key Points: as roars, growls, and howls to
• Language is a structured system of establish dominance,
communication. It is unique to humans due to its communicate distress, and locate
complexity, creativity, and ability to express mates.
abstract ideas. Language influences thought, ●​ Insects and amphibians produce
social interaction, and cultural development. unique sounds to attract mates or
Non-Human Communication warn predators.
Communication is a fundamental aspect Visual Communication
of human existence, allowing us to express ●​ Body language and visual
thoughts, emotions, and intentions. However, displays play a crucial role in
humans are not the only beings that engage in animal communication.
communication. ●​ Facial expressions, postures, and
Non-human creatures, ranging from gestures convey social status,
animals to plants, exhibit diverse and complex intentions, and emotional states.
communication systems that differ significantly ●​ Display of colorful plumage,
from human language. patterns, or signals serve as visual
Non-human communication is a cues for mating and species
fascinating area of study that delves into the recognition.
complex world of how animals convey
information to one another. Chemical Communication
●​ Animals release chemical
substances called pheromones to
communicate.
●​ Pheromones signal reproductive
readiness, mark territory
 boundaries, and coordinate group A lot of scholars have defined the
behavior. characteristics of human language.
●​ Ants and bees use chemical trails Charles Hockett (1967) has created a
to guide others to food sources or checklist for language. It is like a set of
indicate threats. ingredients that makes up all human
language. These are the design features
Chemical Signaling incorporating the amazing similarities
●​ Plants communicate through the that languages all over the world display
release of volatile chemicals, together.
known as allelochemicals.
●​ These chemicals can signal the Who is Charles Francis Hockett?
presence of predators or Was an American linguist known
herbivores, prompting nearby for his significant contributions to the
plants to activate defense field of linguistics, particularly in the
mechanisms. areas of phonology and the study of
●​ Some plants emit scents to attract language structure. He made notable
pollinators or repel harmful advancements in the understanding of
insects. language and communication.

Root Communication 1.​ Vocal-auditory Channel - Human

●​ Underground, plant roots engage language occurs as a vocal type of
in communication via communication, which is perceived by
mycorrhizal networks. hearing.
●​ Mycorrhizal fungi create 2.​ Broadcast Transmission and
connections between plants, Directional Reception - This means that
enabling the exchange of just like when a person stands in the
nutrients, water, and even middle of a room, he can be heard by
warning signals. everyone, assuming that he is speaking
●​ Through these networks, plants loudly enough.
can share resources, warn of 3.​ Rapid Fading (Transitoriness) - Speech
impending threats, and facilitate waveforms fade rapidly which is why the
mutual survival. human language signal does not persist
over time.
Features of Human Language by Hockett 4.​ Interchangeability - This means that the
Introduction speaker can receive and send the same
language signal.
5.​ Total feedback - Unlike traffic signs, 13.​The duality of patterning- This means
which cannot monitor its function, we that the discrete parts of a language can
can hear ourselves while we speak. be combined in a systematic way to
6.​ Specialization - Humans have lips, create new forms. It is the ability to
tongue, throat, etc. and each organ has its recombine small units in different orders.
own specific function in speech. Halliday’s Language Functions
7.​ Semanticity - This means that for every ​ Language is vital in every interaction.
signal there is a corresponding meaning. People cut across their purpose of
8.​ Arbitrariness - Sometimes we ask, why communication through language. These
we assign "bird" to refer to the small purposes may include a personal chore or
flying animals. Human language is wasting time indulging in one’s hobby or sport.
arbitrary, meaning, there is no necessary It may also be interactions from social
connection to the form and the thing gatherings or pursuing goals for professional and
assigned to. personal growth.
9.​ Discreteness - The basic speech units
Here’s a more detailed explanation of Hockett’s
can be categorized. There is no gradual
16 design features of language, including their
continuous shading from one sound to
definitions and significance.
another in the linguistics system,
although there may be a continuum in the
real physical world.
10.​ Displacement - Sometimes we speak Original 13 Design Features
about things in the past or future, and our
1.​ Vocal-auditory channel​
language allows us to do so. We can even
talk about distant things, like the planets
○​ Language is primarily transmitted
and things which do not exist, like Jack
through spoken sounds and
Frost or the Tooth Fairy.
received by hearing.
11.​Productivity - We can create
○​ Example: When you speak, sound
never-before-heard utterances. For
waves travel through the air to
example, "The lady who lived in my
reach the listener’s ears.
closet told me that Mer, who is from
2.​ Broadcast transmission & directional
Jupiter, will come and celebrate the birth
reception​
of the emperor of the Earth and free all
prisoners in jail."
○​ Spoken language spreads in all
12.​Traditional Transmission - Learning
directions but can be localized by
language requires effort because human
the listener.
language is not inborn.
 ○​ Example: In a room, multiple and not for other biological
people can hear a speaker, but functions.
listeners can tell which direction ○​ Example: Unlike panting (which
the voice is coming from. cools dogs) or yawning (which
3.​ Rapid fading (Evanescence)​ regulates oxygen), human speech
is specifically designed for
○​ Speech signals disappear quickly communication.
after being spoken; they are not 7.​ Semanticity​
permanent.
○​ Example: Unlike written text, ○​ Specific signals are directly
spoken words do not last unless linked to specific meanings.
recorded. ○​ Example: The word "dog" refers
4.​ Interchangeability​ to a particular category of
animals; it is not random.
○​ Individuals can both send and 8.​ Arbitrariness​
receive linguistic messages.
○​ Example: You can both speak and ○​ There is no inherent connection
listen, unlike some animal between a word’s form and its
communication where certain meaning.
signals are only produced by one ○​ Example: The word "dog" has no
gender or role (e.g., honeybee natural relationship to the animal
dances are performed only by it represents; different languages
worker bees). use entirely different words for
5.​ Total feedback​ the same concept (e.g., "chien" in
French).
○​ Speakers can hear and monitor 9.​ Discreteness​
their own speech.
○​ Example: When speaking, you ○​ Language is composed of small,
can hear yourself and adjust separate units that do not blend
pronunciation, volume, or tone into one another.
accordingly. ○​ Example: The sounds /b/, /a/, and
6.​ Specialization​ /t/ in "bat" are distinct units that
can be recombined to form other
○​ Language sounds are used words like "tab" or "bat."
exclusively for communication 10.​Displacement​
●​ Language can refer to things that are not
present in the immediate environment.
●​ Example: You can talk about past events, The Three Additional Features

future plans, or fictional characters,

14.​Prevarication
unlike most animal communication
●​ Language can be used to lie or talk about
which is tied to the present moment.
things that do not exist.
11.​Productivity (Openness)
●​ Example: People can tell fictional stories,
●​ Humans can create and understand new
spread false information, or joke about
messages, even if they’ve never heard
imaginary things. Animals usually
them before.
communicate only truthful and
●​ Example: You can invent a new sentence
immediate information.
like "Purple cats drive spaceships," and
15.​Reflexiveness
others will understand it, even though
●​ Language can be used to describe itself.
they’ve never heard it before.
●​ Example: You can discuss grammar
12.​Traditional transmission
rules, analyze sentence structures, or talk
●​ Language is learned socially rather than
about how different languages work.
being biologically inherited.
16.​Learnability
●​ Example: A child raised in Japan will
●​ Humans can learn multiple languages
learn Japanese, while a child raised in
beyond their native tongue.
France will learn French, regardless of
●​ Example: A person who speaks English
their biological background.
can learn Chinese, French, or any other
13.​Duality of patterning
language through study and exposure.
●​ Language has two levels of structure:
1.​ Sound level – Individual sounds
(phonemes) have no meaning by Who is Michael Halliday?
themselves. ●​ born April 13, 1925, died April
2.​ Meaning level – These sounds 15, 2018,
combine into meaningful words ●​ a British linguist, teacher
and sentences. ●​ who developed the internationally
●​ Example: The sounds /c/, /a/, and /t/ have influential systemic functional
no meaning alone, but together as "cat," linguistics (SFL) model of
they form a meaningful word. language
For Halliday ( 1987 ), these functions or
purposes are very important and drive the
motivation for children to develop language.
 He categorizes these functions or ●​ Getting along with others to
purposes into seven and the first four helps a include or exclude
person to satisfy and address his/her physical, Example:
social and emotional needs. ●​ “ Can I please be next to you? “
The next three language functions ●​ “ Do you like pancakes too,
describe how children adapt to their environment Ethan? “
through learning language. d.​ Personal: (Here I Come)
He suggested that communication and ●​ How we refer to ourselves and
language acquisition begins before children can express our personal
speak. He argued that as soon as children can cry opinions/feelings.
or make facial expressions, language is present. Example:
He suggests social interaction is key for ●​ “ I love chocolate"
child language learning, and views language as a e.​ Heuristic: (Tell Me Why)
cultural code that teaches us how to be part of ●​ Language that is used to seek
society, rather than simply a method of information and test knowledge.
communication. ●​ Typically have a question and
answer format.
Halliday’s Language Functions Example: ask questions like
a.​ Instrumental : ( I want ) ●​ "What does that do? " or "why"
●​ Getting things done f.​ Imaginative: (Let's Pretend)
●​ Satisfying/fulfill material needs ●​ language that is used when
​ Example: making up stories and creating
●​ “ I want to drink Milk “ new worlds.
●​ “ Excuse me Mrs. J. Can you help Example:
me with this poster? “ ●​ “ Play scenarios"
b.​ Regulatory : (Do as I tell you ) g.​ Representational/Informative: (I've
●​ Influencing behavior, feeling Got Something To Tell You)
attitudes of others. ●​ Describe the exchange of
●​ Includes the language of rules information between two or more
and instructions people or when people relay
Example: information
●​ “ You must follow all my Example:
instructions. “ ●​ sharing ideas about what should
●​ “ First, gather all the be studied in a project
materials you will need. “
c.​ Interactional : ( Me and You )
The Origins and Evolution of Language
The origins of language remain a debated
topic in linguistics, anthropology, and cognitive
science. Several theories attempt to explain how
language evolved in humans:
Theories of Language Origin:
1. The Divine Source Theory - Some religious
traditions believe that language was a gift from a
divine being.
2. The Natural Sound Source Theory
(Bow-wow Theory) - Language originated from
imitating natural sounds (e.g., "meow" for cats).
3. The Social Interaction Source (Yo-he-ho
Theory) - Language evolved from the need for
social cooperation in human groups.
4. The Gestural Theory - Early humans used
gestures before developing spoken language.
5 The Cognitive Evolution Theory - As the
human brain evolved, language emerged as a
product of complex thinking

Language, Cognition, and the Human Brain

Language is deeply connected to human
cognition. The brain processes language using
specialized areas:
Broca's Area - Responsible for speech
production
Wernicke's Area - Handles language
comprehension.
The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis (Linguistic
Relativity) - This theory suggests that the
structure of a language influences thought
processes. Example: The Hopi language has no
distinct tense for past, present, and future,
possibly affecting how its speakers perceive
time.