RE: Confronting Friends and Family
November 13, 2012 at 12:48 am
(This post was last modified: November 13, 2012 at 12:55 am by Shell B.)
Sign is not the only language other great apes use. It is just an interesting example because we understand it and taught it to them.
From wiki's animal language page: "While the term is widely used, researchers agree that animal languages are not as complex or expressive as human language."
I can agree with that, to an extent, given that we don't understand monkey. However, no person in their right mind would argue that animals do not have languages as methods of communication. As I mentioned before, it appears that tossing out the definition of language and assigning it strictly human traits is how you, and others, come to the conclusion that only humans have language. I do believe there is a stipulation in the rules here about using definitions because so many people like to make up their own definitions and it provides for page after page of absolutely useless conversation. (I can't remember where that was or if it was moved/removed. I do recall it being a big enough problem that the staff talked about it multiple times.)
From wiki's animal language page: "While the term is widely used, researchers agree that animal languages are not as complex or expressive as human language."
I can agree with that, to an extent, given that we don't understand monkey. However, no person in their right mind would argue that animals do not have languages as methods of communication. As I mentioned before, it appears that tossing out the definition of language and assigning it strictly human traits is how you, and others, come to the conclusion that only humans have language. I do believe there is a stipulation in the rules here about using definitions because so many people like to make up their own definitions and it provides for page after page of absolutely useless conversation. (I can't remember where that was or if it was moved/removed. I do recall it being a big enough problem that the staff talked about it multiple times.)
