ANTH 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 26: Vocal Tract
Anth 102
Introduction to Human
Origins.
Primate Communication.
Spring 2018
K. Communication (Human)
- What defines human language?
- Language is unique to humans—at least spoken word
- Barrier to animals.
- Aials do’t have voal trat for spoke word
- Human language is symbolic
- Human language has syntax (rules for constructing sentences) varies from culture to
culture
- Human language is not dependent on direct stimulus
- We communicate about things in our brain: things in the past, present, future etc.
Soethig does’t have to e physial to talk aout it.
- Human languages can be modified (new words are added, old ones removed, syntax
changed)
L. Primate Communication
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
Language is unique to humans at least spoken word. A(cid:374)i(cid:373)als do(cid:374)"t have vo(cid:272)al tra(cid:272)t for spoke(cid:374) word. Human language has syntax (rules for constructing sentences) varies from culture to culture. Human language is not dependent on direct stimulus. We communicate about things in our brain: things in the past, present, future etc. So(cid:373)ethi(cid:374)g does(cid:374)"t have to (cid:271)e physi(cid:272)al to talk a(cid:271)out it. Human languages can be modified (new words are added, old ones removed, syntax changed) Captive apes can be taught to use symbols for communication. Apes who use symbolic communication follow syntax and can modify their language by creating new words. Koko the gorilla has been known to do this. Apes in the wild do not use syntax (and rarely use symbols) and their communication is usually stimulus dependent (physical objects often necessary to talk about like trail markers. ) Koko taught us that apes have displacement (morning the loss off a loved one) (a kitten in this case. )