Language and Communication Flashcards
Is language unique to humans? (nativism vs darwinism)
Yes (Nativism) - Animals lack a common universal code of communication, human communication appears to be markedly different than that of any other living creature.
No (Darwinism) - Dog’s still have some understanding of human language and have an ability communicate between each other.
What is symbolic vocal communication?
This is how an individual communicates what they want through their voice.
What is the evolutionary advantage of symbolic vocal communication?
It is easier to coordinate groups for hunting which helps survival.
What did Noam Chomsky separate language into?
- Faculty of language in the broad sense
- Faculty of language in the narrow sense
What is faculty of language in the broad sense?
The existence of language in some biological capacity that allows you to master communication without explicit instruction.
Includes:
- sensory-motor system - physical means to be able to speak via opening your mouth
- conceptual-intentional system - provides the meaning behind what we are trying to say and the intention behind it
What is faculty of language in the narrow sense?
It is an abstract linguistic computational system consisting of two structures:
- Deep structure - abstract level of structural rules used to determine meaning of sentences and structure in which they should be presented.
- Surface structure - how a sentence is represented, the way an utterance is made and something is written
What is recursion?
Rules can be applied more than once in generating sentences.
What did the vervet monkey alarm calls show?
They had different calls for different threat levels, telling them whether to head for low bushes, high into the trees or stand up and scan. This behaviour was shown even when there was no threat which shows it is a learned behaviour.
Vervet monkey alarm calls - FLB vs FLN?
FLB - there is a vocal communication and intention to communicate (just the call elicits a response and it is an acquired skill) which indicated there is a possession of FLB.
FLN - inconclusive as there are only 3 calls with no abstract linguistic computational system. However, we do not know if they can do more.
Why do monkeys not have the same level of communication as us?
Anatomical reasons - humans have a longer oral cavity and lower larynx that allows for production of a greater range of sounds. Also, monkeys do not have voluntary motor control of the larynx in their brains whereas humans do.
What did Nim Chimpsky show us with regard to sign language?
- He mastered the ability to sign 125 words
- He could make 2 to 4 word utterances
- Had 20,000 sign combinations (of which 50% were 2 sign combinations)
- Did not have own initiative as most signs were in response to the trainer and lots were imitations
- He had the mental capacity of a 1.5 year old human.
- This showed possession of intent not communication and the difference between deep and surface structure.
What did studies into animal communication overall show?
There is evidence of FLB not FLN, and really it is just pavlovian conditioning not actual sense of language in the narrow sense.
Can monkeys learn human grammar?
In an easy condition - yes, but not in the hard condition which indicates that really they are just good memorisers and do not actually have a FLN capacity.
Is language unique to humans? (FLN vs FLB)
No - FLB is shared with other species as there is enough evidence to show animals have the intention and motor system available to communicate.
Yes - FLN is unique to humans as animals don’t seem to have the structural and meaningful capacity. However, we still do not know if this behaviour is innate or learned.
What did Paul Broca find about language and the brain?
Patients with lesions in the left inferior frontal gyrus had language impairments.
