Anthropology: Communication, Language & Culture HSP3M

EnglishNightSnowSevenFoot GermanNachtSchneeSiebenFuss LatinNoctisNivisSeptemPedis FrenchNuitNeigeSeptPied ItalianNotteNeveSettePiede GreekNuktosNiphaHeptaPodos RussianNochSnyekSyemNaga

Discussion What is communication? What is communication? What is language? What is language?

Communication Sending a message that is received by another Sending a message that is received by another Can be accomplished through a variety of means Can be accomplished through a variety of means What media do you use to communicate? What media do you use to communicate?

Language A detailed way of communicating A detailed way of communicating Uses symbols to represent ideas Uses symbols to represent ideas

Language and Anthropology Physical anthropologists study non- humans… so do cultural anthropologists Physical anthropologists study non- humans… so do cultural anthropologists How can we learn about language and communication by studying animals? How can we learn about language and communication by studying animals?

Animals and Language Example: Rico the Border Collie was studied by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Example: Rico the Border Collie was studied by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Knew the names of 200 different items Trained for 8 years by owner Knew the names of 200 different items Trained for 8 years by owner Experiments revealed he could retrieve specific items on command with remarkable accuracy Experiments revealed he could retrieve specific items on command with remarkable accuracy Could even learn the names of new objects to about the same degree as a 3 year old human Could even learn the names of new objects to about the same degree as a 3 year old human Is this language? Is this language?

Animals and Language Since dogs have evolved alongside humans, they have an ingrained ability to pay attention to verbal and non-verbal cues from humans Since dogs have evolved alongside humans, they have an ingrained ability to pay attention to verbal and non-verbal cues from humans Certainly, other animals communicate with one another Certainly, other animals communicate with one another –Bees use movement to communicate the location of flowers –Animals issue various grunts or cries to warn each other of danger –Is this language?

Dolphins See videos See videos

What is “true” language? Open, flexible, creative: can create new sentence, combine and rearrange words to make new ones Open, flexible, creative: can create new sentence, combine and rearrange words to make new ones Symbolic: can refer to people, things, and events that aren’t present; can communicate things that have happened or will happen Symbolic: can refer to people, things, and events that aren’t present; can communicate things that have happened or will happen Arbitrary: the word for something rarely has any connection to it Arbitrary: the word for something rarely has any connection to it

Monkeys/Apes Vervet monkeys have at least 3 different alarm calls, each corresponding to a different threat (eagle, leopard, python) Vervet monkeys have at least 3 different alarm calls, each corresponding to a different threat (eagle, leopard, python) –When the “eagle” call is made, the monkeys look up Many chimpanzees have been taught sign language, learning hundreds of signs Many chimpanzees have been taught sign language, learning hundreds of signs –They can make new sentences with words –Ex: Washoe found a doll in her water dish and signed “baby in my drink”; Lana signing “please machine make music”

Human Language Emerged between 40,000 and 100,000 years ago Emerged between 40,000 and 100,000 years ago –Can’t really know since written language followed much later –Guesses based on brain structures and throat structures

The Origins of Human Language Bow-wow and Ding-dong theory (imitate animal noises and natural sounds) Bow-wow and Ding-dong theory (imitate animal noises and natural sounds) Yo-he-ho theory (cries/grunts of pain, surprise, effort) Yo-he-ho theory (cries/grunts of pain, surprise, effort) Tarara-boom-de-ay theory (singing, humming, chanting) Tarara-boom-de-ay theory (singing, humming, chanting) Cooperation theory (necessary for hunting, defence) Cooperation theory (necessary for hunting, defence)

Language and Culture Language is an aspect of culture Language is an aspect of culture What other words/ideas do you associate with culture? What other words/ideas do you associate with culture?