Design features of Design features of languagelanguage

LING 200LING 200

Winter 2009Winter 2009Jan. 7Jan. 7

Plan for todayPlan for today

Questions about languageQuestions about language Hockett’s proposed design featuresHockett’s proposed design features Chimp studiesChimp studies

Cell phones off please

The big question(s)The big question(s)

Is language unique to humans?Is language unique to humans? Is it fundamentally different from Is it fundamentally different from

animal communication?animal communication? (What is language anyway?)(What is language anyway?)

Getting at the big questionGetting at the big question

Charles Hockett (1960) Charles Hockett (1960) “The Origin of Speech.” “The Origin of Speech.” Scientific AmericanScientific American 203: 88-96. 203: 88-96.

Smaller questionsSmaller questions• What are properties of human What are properties of human

language?language?• Which are shared by other Which are shared by other

communication systems?communication systems? CaveatCaveat

• In Hockett’s day, not much known about In Hockett’s day, not much known about ASLASL

Hockett’s proposalHockett’s proposal

Design features Design features characterize language, distinguish it from other communication systems

System must have all 9 features to be language

9 features9 features

Mode of communicationMode of communication SemanticitySemanticity Pragmatic functionPragmatic function InterchangeabilityInterchangeability Cultural transmissionCultural transmission ArbitrarinessArbitrariness DiscretenessDiscreteness DisplacementDisplacement ProductivityProductivity

Common to all(?) communication systems

Not found in all communication systems

InterchangeabilityInterchangeability

= A user can both transmit and receive messages

Not all communication display this flexibility• silkworm moths: only females secrete

chemicals• whistling moths: males make territorial

sounds

Cultural transmissionCultural transmission NatureNature (innate) (vs. nurture-- (innate) (vs. nurture--

learned)learned) = At least some aspect of a

communication system is learned from other users• A Cambodian child with an

American parent will learn English, not Khmer

• Animal communication systems vary

Fireflies and cowbirds: entirely Fireflies and cowbirds: entirely innateinnate

Finches: can learn to make some Finches: can learn to make some calls if raised in isolation; but don’t calls if raised in isolation; but don’t learn full systemlearn full system

ArbitrarinessArbitrariness

(vs. iconic)(vs. iconic) Does the form of a Does the form of a

sign/call/signal sign/call/signal resemble what it resemble what it refers to?refers to?

Sign languages Sign languages may seem may seem relatively iconic… relatively iconic…

KNOW BLACK

CANADA

Arbitrariness in some animal Arbitrariness in some animal communication systemscommunication systems• baring teethbaring teeth

Vervet monkeysVervet monkeys• http://www.wjh.harvard.edu/~mnkylab/http://www.wjh.harvard.edu/~mnkylab/

media/vervetcalls.htmlmedia/vervetcalls.html• Distinct arbitrary calls for snakes, Distinct arbitrary calls for snakes,

leopards, eaglesleopards, eagles

DiscretenessDiscreteness (sometimes called duality of patterning)(sometimes called duality of patterning) System decomposable into smaller, System decomposable into smaller,

recombinable parts recombinable parts • a, p, r, ta, p, r, t combine to form combine to form trap, part, rapttrap, part, rapt

Doesn’t seem to be found in most animal Doesn’t seem to be found in most animal communication systemscommunication systems• But bee dances But bee dances

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bees/danceswahttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bees/danceswagg.htmlgg.html (the waggle dance, a.k.a. the sickle dance) (the waggle dance, a.k.a. the sickle dance)

• pattern, direction can be combined for different pattern, direction can be combined for different meaningsmeanings

DisplacementDisplacement

Not limited to the here and nowNot limited to the here and now• Last night, 10 million years ago…Last night, 10 million years ago…

Bees: limited displacementBees: limited displacement• round dance: relatively closeround dance: relatively close• sickle dance: intermediate distancesickle dance: intermediate distance• tail-wagging dance: relatively fartail-wagging dance: relatively far

ProductivityProductivity

Unlimited potential to express novel Unlimited potential to express novel ideasideas• Elements of system are fixed or infinite?Elements of system are fixed or infinite?• ““Intonational phenomena in Sahaptin

identified to date can be described exclusively with nuclear pitch accents.”

Bees• Vertical sugar water experiment

Chimp (and other primate) studiesChimp (and other primate) studies

2020thth century hypothesis: Maybe century hypothesis: Maybe chimps (and other primates) don’t chimps (and other primates) don’t use human language because of lack use human language because of lack of opportunity to learn it. of opportunity to learn it.

Chimp vocal tracts not suited to Chimp vocal tracts not suited to speech, but sign language okayspeech, but sign language okay

Chimps’ accomplishmentsChimps’ accomplishments Can learn to associate referents with Can learn to associate referents with

arbitrary signs arbitrary signs Can learn to use signs spontaneously Can learn to use signs spontaneously Can learn to use signs creatively Can learn to use signs creatively

• Washoe (at CWU): 'water bird' (for swan)Washoe (at CWU): 'water bird' (for swan) Can invent totally new signs Can invent totally new signs

• Washoe: a new sign for 'bibs' Washoe: a new sign for 'bibs' Can come up with creative solutions to Can come up with creative solutions to

problems problems • Kanzi: When friend Austin the chimp was Kanzi: When friend Austin the chimp was

moved out of compound, Kanzi got lonely, moved out of compound, Kanzi got lonely, typed 'Austin TV' to request videotape of typed 'Austin TV' to request videotape of Austin. Austin.

Chimps’ main limitationChimps’ main limitation SyntaxSyntax

• length: 2-3 sign utteranceslength: 2-3 sign utterances• inconsistent word order inconsistent word order

See also See also http://www.gorilla.org/world/talk_aol.htmlhttp://www.gorilla.org/world/talk_aol.html

Noam Chomsky (“I told you so”)Noam Chomsky (“I told you so”)• It is hardly likely that some species has this capacity but It is hardly likely that some species has this capacity but

has never thought to use it until instructed by humans…has never thought to use it until instructed by humans…the evidence suggests that the most rudimentary the evidence suggests that the most rudimentary features of human language are far beyond the capacity features of human language are far beyond the capacity of otherwise intelligent apes, just as the capacity to fly of otherwise intelligent apes, just as the capacity to fly or the homing instinct of pigeons lie beyond the capacity or the homing instinct of pigeons lie beyond the capacity of humans. of humans.

Summary and previewSummary and preview

Human language seems to be Human language seems to be qualitatively different from animal qualitatively different from animal communication systemscommunication systems

Human vocal tract even seems Human vocal tract even seems designed for speechdesigned for speech

QuestionQuestion

Good site on onomatopoeia in Good site on onomatopoeia in different languages (but no sound different languages (but no sound files files ))• (onomatopoeia: vocabulary that imitates (onomatopoeia: vocabulary that imitates

sound)sound)• http://www.eleceng.adelaide.edu.au/Perhttp://www.eleceng.adelaide.edu.au/Per

sonal/dabbott/animal.htmlsonal/dabbott/animal.html What does this tell us about What does this tell us about

arbitrariness in spoken languages?arbitrariness in spoken languages?