(November 13, 2012 at 9:49 am)Hovik Wrote: You seem to be under the impression that this is all something I've just made up. Linguistics has a very precise definition of language because language is a uniquely human capability for a number of reasons. All animals have a communication system of some sort, but only the human communication system is markedly different in that it allows us to precisely and, much more importantly, generatively convey meaning.
I don't doubt that what you say exactly aligns with what experts in the field think. But in my role as 'comment man' I try always to take what the experts have to say with a grain of salt.
Also, on some superficial level, one has to wonder if we are just in a better position to appreciate human speech given that we are human. If I was a dog, a growl or whoof or sharp bark might mean the whole world to me. [Pulling your leg, man. I get that the apparent purposes to which language is put is pretty different for us .. so far as humans can tell.]
