Look at the origins of the word and what people actually wanted to express when it first came in use.
The latin Anima could mean all kinds of things. A gust of wind, breath, spirit. I guess in Italian, the word is still similar to it's Latin origin. Animal is derived from that. It certainly wasn't exclusive to humans. That's a rather new development.
The latin Anima could mean all kinds of things. A gust of wind, breath, spirit. I guess in Italian, the word is still similar to it's Latin origin. Animal is derived from that. It certainly wasn't exclusive to humans. That's a rather new development.