Nonhuman Primate Sign Language - Essay Example

Non-human primate and sign language Nonhuman primate and sign language 1. What is the difference between language and speech and between language and sign languages? Language refers to understanding, using words and putting them together in order to make sentences that are meaningful and other chunks of language. Aspects of language are targeted such as following instructions, words with multiple meanings and use of language figuratively. Speech refers to the capability of producing sounds that form the language. Language is an auditory vocal, and it involves production of sounds in sequences and configurations of mouth and vocal tract. Sign language is visual-gestural languages, and it involves movements of body parts such as face, hands and arms and upper torso [Mar06]. 2. Compare the brain structure of humans with those of nonhuman primates such as chimps. (pp. 19-21 of text. ) Human and nonhuman primates such as chimpanzees have commonalities in brain features in high-level communicative and cognitive functions. Brains of both human and nonhuman primate show some degree of asymmetry. Both halves of the human brain are not symmetrical they are lopsidedness that arise at the development stage of brain. Brains of humans show a greater variance of asymmetry than that of chimpanzees, but brains of both species are asymmetrical in structures. Brain asymmetry gives a room for flexibility and enables the brain to adapt easily to different conditions and situations [Vic10]. 3. From viewing the chimps in the wild (Among the Wild Chimpanzees), can they be said to have a language? Include chimp displays in dominance behavior, behavior in warfare, and grooming and begging behavior Human and primates share 99% of their genetic makeup. However, their main difference between the two is the capability of communicating in a language that is defined. Chimps do not can speak human language, but they have a way of communicating to each other. One of the ways they communicate to each other is through different types of vocal calls [Lar12]. If the chimps find food, they start making different types of grunts, pant hoots and barks to let others know the source of food. Chimpanzees have different pant hoots that distinguish each from one another. It helps others to identify individuals who are making the call. When chimps get back from a successful hunt, they make calls in an exciting way to alert others about a successful mission. When they come across a dangerous situation, they produce a savage-sounding to alert others on the potential danger [Mar06]. Chimps also communicate with each other by making use of bodily gestures and postures. Some communities such as that of a monkey make use of physical contact to express anger, happiness, fear and aggressiveness. When chimps get angry, they express anger by standing upright using their hind legs, wave their arms and sometimes they can throw rocks and branches. The behavior alerts other chimps that are near and steer clear of this particular monkey [Vic10]. When chimps are afraid, they start grinning. The grin is of fear that is closely compared nervous smile of a human when feeling uncomfortable in a particular situation. Chimps have a way of proclaiming their dominance to one another. They show this by slapping their hands together, stomping their feet and throwing stones. These gestures show aggressiveness of chimps without engaging in a physical fight [Mar06]. 4. From viewing Koko alone, does Koko have a language? How about Michael? Give examples from both cases In the video, Koko uses signs in her actions that are consistent shows that she has already mastered the sign language. Koko has developed the ability in expressing coherent thoughts by using signs while interpreting guerilla’s conversation. Koko has already developed new signs in communicating her thoughts [Lar12]. Francine trained Koko and her peers at the University of Stanford starting in the year 1972 and Koko mastered at least 1000, ASL signs and also understood at least 2,000 English words that are spoken. She then produced a novel spontaneously and appropriate combination of signs such as ‘finger bracelet’ in describing a ring. Koko did not have a sign at that time. 5. Describe Kokos use of sign language. Include productivity in your discussion; what new signs does she create? Koko for a long time has been for a long time been learning in a language environment. The environment includes American Sign Language (ASL) and other English that is spoken. Koko combines her working vocabulary of a least 500 signs into statements with an average of three to six signs in length. Michael, a male gorilla, had not been introduced to a sign language until he was three and a half was used to more than 400 different signs. 6. Has Francine (Penny) Patterson made the case that gorillas are capable of language? Please explain your answer Both gorillas initiate most of their conversations with other creatures like human and put together their vocabularies in creative and original utterances of sign in describing their environment, desires, feelings and probably their past histories [Mar06]. Chimps sign to themselves and also to each other while using human language in supplementing their natural vocalizations and their gestures. Sign language was an integral part to both Koko and Michael as they were both familiar with a language than some of the human companions. Both gorillas used to sign and repeat signs slowly during a conversation with a human possessing limited signing skill. They used to make an attempt of teaching as they have been taught. For example, there is one time when Michael was signing ‘chase’ repeatedly, but did not get a response from his companion who did not understand this sign. He later took her hands and hit them together, gave her a push to keep on moving. Similarly, Koko used to mold hands of her dolls into signs [Lar12]. 7. Does that mean that gorillas also have a culture? Explain, using examples The gorillas seem to have a culture. They have a common way of doing their things. For example, Koko didn’t mate with Michael as they view themselves as siblings. It shows there is a culture that prohibits sexual relations between members that are closely related. They have a way in which they express their emotions like anger, happiness and fear by throwing stones and branches without engaging in a physical fight. Chimpanzees usually imitate their peers into adulthood; this suggests that they develop cultural behaviors by imitating each other. A female behavior in a group uses a stick in probing for food that is out of reach [Vic10]. 8. Why didn’t Koko mate with Michael? Does that mean that the incest tabu applies to gorillas? Why didn't she mate with Ndume? Why would this explanation differ from her failure to mate with Michael? It was intended that Koko and Michael could mate to produce baby gorilla and introduce it to sign language. However, the two saw each other as closely related and did not want to go against the norms that prohibit sexual relations between closely related members such as siblings. Koko did not also mate with Ndume to my opinion may be due to Ndume’s bad behavior of engaging in sexual intercourse with multiple female chimps [Mar06]. 9. Do gorillas use sign language in the wild? Site evidence from the film. Gorillas make use of sign language while in the wild. They use the language while communicating with humans. From the video, chimps use the sign language to describe environment, feelings and other emotions. They use different signs to convey different messages at different times [Gar14]. However, over the years, apes have been communicating with humans and this is a sign of primate cognition. 10. Finally, in light of the discussion on pp. 13-22 of Concise Introduction to Linguistics, evaluate the skepticism over ape language studies. Include in your evaluation the Clever Hans Effect and definitions of Faculty of Language in the Broad Sense and in the Narrow Sense For a long period, there have been numerous debates on whether the apes use a similar language with humans. The major difference between humans and apes is the motivation for communication[Ann09]. Humans always communicate about things that are around them. Probably they talk about weather, grocery store, toddler may point a cat to her parents while readers may write comments about stories. Apes don’t care about chitchatting. A study of Kanzi shows that about 4% of his signs are commentary. It shows that 96% are functional signs asking for toys or food [Mar06]. The sign of Koko are not spontaneous but evoked by Patterson asking her questions. There are criticisms alleging that their loving caregivers overstate abilities of apes like Kanzi and Koko. Apes that are reared by humans are meant to create bonds between their caregivers and apes so that the pairs gets comfortable communicating[WTe10].The closeness shows that the caregiver is the only person who can translate for the ape, and it is difficult to prove how much interpretation digs into translations. Human faculty of language refers to the cognitive system that is realized by brain, and that helps in production and consumption of the language. Linguistics that is generative is conceived as a theory of faculty of the language. Generative linguistics, therefore, is a family of theories of a segment of the language of the faculty [Mar06]. In this family, theories share some general assumptions; they have numerous characteristics in common, and they share a common tradition of intellect. In a broad sense, faculty of language comprises of a computational system that is internal and is combined with more than two organizational systems that are called sensory motor and conceptual intentional. Faculty of language in a broad sense comprises of sensory-motor, conceptual intentional and other systems. In a narrow sense, faculty of language refers to abstract linguistic computational system that is independent of other systems that interfaces and interacts [Fra13]. References Mar06: , (Marc D. Hauser 411), Vic10: , (Victoria Fromkin 25), Lar12: , (Larissa Aronin 14), Gar14: , (Gary Ferraro 129), Ann09: , (Kinsella 40), WTe10: , (Fitch 22), Fra13: , (Francis Lowenthal 174), Read More