The Pros And Cons Of Human Language

It is apparent that in our world, humans are the only species to have developed language to such a great length. However it is still unknown why, and of what cause, we created and learn language the way we do that language amongst humans is universal despite the 7,000 different languages spoken.

Animal behavior can often imitate our own. There is much to find out by looking at research on the linguistics of primates. In an experiment a chimp named Lana was able to learn a lot about human communication with the use of lexigrams. Lexigrams are symbols that correspond to words or ideas. They were invented by Duane Rumbaugh.The lexigram keyboard and synthesizer was a system that allowed Lana to communicate hundreds of terms to her human counterparts ("Can Animals Understand Human Language?" )

Animals don’t use “language”, but instead they just respond to keywords and signals people train them to do. In the passage “When Animals Communicate They Are Not Using Language” by Mia Lewis, she states that “...can be trained to recognize and respond to many words and signals...does any of this constitute the ability to use language?...other scientists say no. They believe that the ability to use language is unique to humans.” To add onto that, would they physically or mentally be able to? Nope! The

Language can be defined as a means of communication through spoken sounds, written symbols, or hand and body gestures. Subject to this simple definition language is neither human nor animal exclusive, meaning that all living creatures use some form of language to communicate. Humans have created the most advanced system of language. Human language has advanced to include listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing and visual representation. These components are known as the six language arts and while they are individual components they are as well interdependent. What you learn about one affects what and how you learn about the others.

“What makes us human?”, is an unanswered question asked by many. Is it because of our ability to have empathy for others? Or is it because of our cognitive ability which allows us to look into the future? One of the main arguments made that separates humans from animals is our communication style; our language. Is language inherently unique to human? To answer such a question, we first operationally define language as; “a system of communication based upon words and the combination of words into sentences” (University of Oslo). The purpose of language is for us to be able to convey an infinite amount of ideas to one another. Sign language in general also falls under this definition as it has a complex system of rules and syntax that allow the signed figures to function as words. Animal communication on the other hand, is operationally defined as, “the transmission of a signal from one animal to another such that the sender benefits, on average, from the response of the recipient” (Pearce 1987). With this in mind, current research has shown that the answer is that language is inherently unique to humans.

Language is one of the main things that sets us apart from other animals. Why is that? How does language make us so different from other animals? Why does it make us so different? Picture this. We are in a time period where hominids are currently the newest species to have evolved. After hundreds of years, two different species have emerged; apes and Homo Erectus. The apes evolved one way, and the Homo Erectus evolved a different way. Us as humans, then evolved from the Homo Erectus. The apes evolved in a way that they couldn’t speak, and we evolved in a way that we could. Our surroundings were different, so we had to adapt in different ways, and we as humans adapted in a way that allowed us to speak. Now we can exchange ideas like building

Linguistic discourse arises from the multiple areas: from studies of primate social behavior, from the comparison of existing human languages, from research on the development of language in children, from studies of genetic and anatomical structures, from cross-cultural studies, from the observation of earning and forming lexicon, and from the studies of the communication of bees, birds, and mammals (cit). Initially, though, language, spoken or signed, was a gestural system that evolved from so-called “mirror system” in the primate brain. Mirror system is a mechanism that allows to equate self actions with actions of others; mirror system's neurons are part of dorsal visual system (citation). The dorsal pathway projects visual information

The animal kingdom is filled with multiple different species, all with their own way to communicate. Birds tweet and twitter, cows low, horses neigh, and dogs bark. Each sound has its own specific meaning behind it, a word they use to communicate. But what exactly animals are communicating is something humans have always had an interest in. From the story of Dr. Doolittle to looking at your own pet and wondering what is going on behind their eyes and what it is exactly that they want to tell you, we all desire to know what animals mean when they bark, growl, or meow. And when it comes to primates, especially non-human primates, we grow even more interested. Primate communication has risen to a level above that of other animals in the world, to the point of speech with distinct languages and definitions. Here lies a possible missing link to discover our own language origins, by studying the communicative patterns of non-human primates. But why did primate communication evolve to such a high level? What are the pressures behind this leap forwards? By looking at one specific species, I believe we can further dig into this mystery.

the question whether any animal species is able to use language. We can see how bees

The evolution of human language is a highly debated topic with many perspectives and theories dating back to the 19th century and as a result is it a subject full of ambiguity. This is due to the fact that there is an abundance of theories with evidence to give them grounds to argue, not only this, but because more than one aspect of the evolution of language is in question. The first question lies in the purpose of its development, what evolutionary advantages would it present early humanity. The second is how it came to fruition, was it through natural selection or was it taught. The third query lies within the early stages of human language, what form did it take and why. Was language always vocal or did it start by being gestural similar to sign language. There is an abundance of forms of communication in the animal kingdom, namely babies crying for their mothers’ attention or calls to warn of danger. However, this can not be deemed as a language because in the context of evolutionary linguistics, language is defined “as any system which allows for the free and unfettered expression of thoughts into signals, and the complementary interpretation of such signals into thoughts” (Fitch, 2010 pg.

For example, imitation and teaching explain that chimpanzee’s may watch their mother doing actions academically (problem-solving) she never gives her young enough feedback or just a simple look to reinforce his observation. He concludes by explaining that humans have a preexisting capacity that allows them to represent what they imagine by combining human elements (language) while, animals clearly do not.

Alternatively, some may argue other intelligent species, such as dolphins or chimpanzees also possess the ability to express views and opinions, having language very similar to ours; however, what makes human language so unique is its variety and complexity. As cleverly described by Jason Goldman (2012): “Whales sing, monkeys howl, birds chirp. Lizards bob their heads up and down to communicate, and some squid do it by regulating the coloration of their skin cells. But none of these processes can be explained by language.” The distinctiveness of human language is not defined by how it allows individuals to communicate with each other, but instead, the infinite variety that follows. While other species communicate to

Books, movies, and TV shows love to explore the thoughts of animals, and we notice talking animals reappear in numerous types of stories. Of course, animals cannot really communicate with humans this way; that would be too easy. Nevertheless, it does demonstrate the human desire to talk to animals, which would be my favorite superpower if I could have one. We do not strive to understand animals, however. We merely want for them to comprehend us, and that is where my interest diverges from the stereotypical idea of talking animals. Instead of researching how we humans communicate with animals, I would study how animals communicate with other animals of nonhuman species. If we can understand the ways in which nonlinguistic creatures can universally communicate, we can better understand how linguistic humans will factor into that formula. For example, suppose a dog wants a toy that his feline companion is playing with. He will likely implore the cat to give him the toy in a distinct manner from asking another canine for the same object. Focusing on that distinct behavior may reveal some similarities in the way that dogs, for instance, try to communicate with us

There are clearly many language differences and barriers between human and non-human species, and primate vocal communication is a particularly intriguing one. Although primate vocal communication is incredibly different from human language, it is still important to examine the differences and similarities between human and nonhuman species. This examination can shine a light on the evolution of language. Both humans and non-human species have cognitive capabilities, and in humans, language and cognition are tightly wound together. Language is how an individual’s thoughts and feelings are expressed to the environment. In apes and monkeys, the difference in vocal communication is striking. With only a small apparent repertoire of calls, non-human primates use the same calls that are picked up early in life and those calls seemingly never change. As the continuity theory suggests, language has grown from a primate call system. Humans initially started out using simple cries representing different things such as, ‘Help’ or ‘Danger!’, and over time they evolved into the language used today. Scientists today can examine these stages closely, and looking into the cries of the vervet monkey, it is suspected that the cries of this species could be a possible middle stage in language evolution. Unlike other non-primate species, the vervet monkey has several different alarm calls the distinguish between different types of danger. For example, the chutter warns about a cobra, whereas

For most of the students, including myself, December is our favorite month of the year because our School Christmas Holiday is waiting for us. During the Christmas Holiday, many students plan a warm winter getaway with their families to avoid from shoveling 2 feet of snow off of their driveway. After all the flights and hotel booked, the last thing we do is to take everything we need, and shove them all into the luggage with full of excitement; however, if you are traveling to a destination where you don’t know or speak the language, not being able to communicate can not only be frustrating, but sometimes it can even be a bit frightening. Nowadays, The world is becoming more interconnected, like the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the sports we play, the movie we watch and the music we listen to, we are all connected in some way. Therefore, learning a foreign language (knowing more than one language) is getting more important in a globalized world.