Language Flashcards
Why is language important?
“When we study human language we are approaching what some might call the ‘human essence’, the distinctive qualities of mind that are, as far as we know, unique to man’ - Chomsky
What occurs in the oral tradition of the people of Mali?
The infant is a Kuntu (thing) and only becomes a Muntu (person) when they begin to speak
What do the Kaluli of Papua New Guinea believe?
The infant belongs to the world of animals and spirits until she utters her first word.
What is language?
A communication system sharing functions with the signalling systems of other species
What are animal communication systems used for?
Attract mates, threaten competitors and warn close kin
What do cricket mating songs do?
Male crickets emit species-specific mating songs to attract females. Breeding experiments show that hybrid males produce hybrid songs.
What are the 3 different calls in response to predators?
Find photo - lecture 7
What is a red deer threat display?
Red deer resolve conflict by roaring at each other and the deepest roar wins because it reflects the size of the chest and predicts the outcome of a fight.
What is tradition in relation to Hockett’s design features?
Animal -> e.g. cricket song tend to wired in
Human languages transmitted across generations through learning
What is displacement in relation to hockett’s design features?
Animal -> e.g. vervet alarm calls, tend to be stimulus bound
Humans can talk about objects and events remote in time and space
What is duality of patterning in relation of hockey’s design features?
Animal languages consist of a fixed set of meaningful sounds. Human languages consist of a fixed set of meaningless sounds that can be combined to express a potentially infinite number of meanings
What is opennesss in relation to hockett’s design features?
Animal languages are closed systems. Human languages are open systems in which new words can be invented
