Human and Animal language

Animal language is the modeling of human language in non human animal systems.
While the term is widely used, researchers agree that animal languages are not as
complex or expressive as human language.

Some researchers including the linguist Charles Hockett, who proposed a list of
design features of Human Language, argue that there are significant differences
separating human language from animal communication even at its most complex,
and that the underlying principles are not related. Accordingly, Thomas A. Sebeok
has proposed not to use the term 'language' in case of animal sign systems.

Others argue that an evolutionary continuum exists between the communication

methods these animals use and human language. Examining this continuum could
help explain how humanity evolved its incredibly sophisticated proficiency for
language.

Human and chimp, in this case Claudine Andre with a bonobo.

The following properties of human language have been argued to separate
it from animal communication:

 Arbitrariness: There is not necessarily a rational relationship between a sound

or sign and its meaning, i.e. symbolism. (There is nothing intrinsically "housy"
about the word "house".)
 Cultural transmission: Language is passed from one language user to the
next, consciously or unconsciously.
 Discreteness: Language is composed of discrete units that are used in
combination to create meaning.
 Displacement: Languages can be used to communicate ideas about things that
are not in the immediate vicinity either spatially or temporally, or both.
 Duality: Language works on two levels at once, a surface level and a semantic
(meaningful) level.
 Metalinguistics: Ability to discuss language itself.

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  Productivity: A finite number of units can be used to create an indefinitely
large number of utterances.

Research with apes, like that of Francine Patterson with Koko or Herbert Terrace with
Nim Chimpsky, suggested that apes are capable of using language that meets some of
these requirements such as arbitrariness, cultural transmission, discreteness and
productivity. However, no experiment has yet shown a non-human being to be
proficient in all of these areas.

In the wild chimpanzees have been seen "talking" to each other, when warning about
approaching danger. For example, if one chimpanzee sees a snake, he makes a low,
rumbling noise, signalling for all the other chimps to climb into nearby trees. In this
case, the chimpanzees' communication is entirely contained to an observable event,
demonstrating a lack of displacement.

Arbitrariness has been noted in meerkat calls; bee dances show elements of spatial
displacement; and cultural transmission has possibly occurred between the celebrated
bonobos Kanzi and Panbanisha.

Human language may not be completely "arbitrary". Some research has shown that
almost all humans naturally demonstrate limited crossmodal perception (e.g.
synesthesia), as illustrated by the Kiki and Booba study.

Claims that animals have language skills akin to humans however, are extremely
controversial. As Pinker illustrates in his book the "The Language Instinct", claims
that chimpanzees can acquire language are exaggerated and rest on very limited or
specious data.