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ANIMAL
COMMUNICATION
LI 2013
NATHALIE F. MARTIN
Table of Content
 COMMUNICATION
 ANIMAL COMMUNICATION
 CAN PRIMATES TALK?
 STUDIES
 SCEPTICS
 MORE STUDIES
 CONCLUSION

References:
Introduction: The Nature of Communication
(chap. 1; Rowe & Levine)
 « La communication et le langage »
 « Peut-on faire parler les singes? »

Communication
 Communication is a behaviour, or the
transmission of information, that affects the
behaviour of others.
 When a living organism (or machine)
communicates it sends messages about itself or its
environment.
 The message is placed into a code.

Humans have a highly elaborate code called language.
Animals and Human Languages
 All living beings can communicates certain
types of information.
 But can we say that animals have linguistic
abilities?
 We must be careful to distinguish
communication, which is broad, from
language, which is a certain type of
communication.
Animal Communication
 Different means of communication
used by animals:
• Smell
• Light
• Electricity
• Posture
• Actions/movement
• Facial expressions
Perception and
animal communication
 Animal communication is unconscious and non-
deliberate.

For example, if an animal lets out a cry in the presence of a
predator, we automatically suppose that it is a reaction and not a
deliberate desire to warn the other members of it’s species.
 Communication: results of a stimuli.
 Produced only in reaction to a given situation
(or triggers).
 In other words, an animal would never seek to
communicate if it wasn’t enticed by something in it’s
environment (they are mostly stimulus-bound).
Perception and
animal communication (2)
 Animal communication is understood as
genetic.
 If an animal, like a monkey for example,
emits a certain cry, it is because it has been
genetically programmed to do so.
An example: Bees
 Their communication system:

The distance is indicated by the type of « dance »:
 In circles, with movement of tale (waggle dance), and
figure eight;
 Direction
is indicated by the orientation of the dance
in light of the sun;

The quality of the given source
of food is indicated by the speed
of the dance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NtegAOQpSs (3 min)
Dance of the Bees
Of Bees and Men
 A mix of symbolism and clues.
 Symbolic since the dances are not directly associated to
the content they represent.
 Indicial (/ɪndɪʃəl/) since they indicate the quality of the
food by accelerating the dance.
 Limited:
 There is only one subject/topic addressed by the
message;
 The information within the message is limited.
 « Code » is mainly genetic (and non cultural).
 Proof: genetic (crossbreeding)
 Proof: bees born/raised outside the hive
Communication and/or language
 But can we say that what animals
possess is in fact what we refer to as
language?
Language, Languages and Speech
FRENCH
“Language”
ENGLISH
Language/ability
The innate ability to learn and produce language/code.
Natural, universal and innate ability (amongst humans).
“Langue”
Language/code
A code or system, used by consensus.
Ex: different languages (French, English, Spanish, Greek, etc.).
Collective (used within a language group, speakers of the language)
“Parole”
Speech
The individual act of speaking
(Concrete use of the language/code).
Ex: “Please stop the bus!”
Individual.
Can primates talk?
HUMAN SPEECH
THE CASE OF KOKO
AND MANY OTHER ANIMALS
Humans: Specialization for Speech
Contemporary
Linguistics
Analysis: p. 2.
Organ
Survival
Speech
Lungs
Exchange CO2
for O2
Air flow
Vocal
Cords
Cover tube to
lungs
Vibration
Tongue
Move food in
mouth
Articulation
Teeth
Chew food
Articulation
Lips
Seal oral cavity
Articulation
Nose
Breathing
Nasal
resonance
Specialization for Speech:
Made to Speak
http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/english/frameset.html
Anatomical Differences
http://languages-of-the-world.blogspot.com/2010/08/innovations-to-human-vocal-apparatus.html
Can humans make primates talk?
 What do you think?
Can we make apes talk?
 The first experiments with primates seem to have
shown us that primates can in fact adopt a form of
human language
(whether it be sign language of a similar system).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pmuu8UEi2ko (3:50)
Can humans make primates talk? (2)
1- 1966: Allen & Beatrice Gardner and
Washoe
 They taught her American sign language
(ASL)
 4 years later, she uses 130 signs.
 They also affirm that she has spontaneously
combined different signs that they have
never taught her

e.g. « bird » + « water » = duck
Can humans make primates talk? (3)
2- David Premack and Sarah the chimpanzee.
 He decided to teach her a new language.
 This language is made up of symbols attached to
magnets placed on a board.
 Sarah learns to manipulate symbols that are non
“iconic” (non representative).
 After many years, she is
able a manipulate many
signs to answer questions.
Can humans make primates talk? (2)
3- Penney Patterson –
Koko (gorilla):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U64k_fA2Rcc (new sign = 1 min)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NDvs9bMsTE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NDvs9bMsTE (5 mins in)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDGQySZ1gbs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VJgsiADba8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t9it2I2lg0&feature=related (7 mins in)
Michael (gorilla):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBNwLf3CyiU
Sceptics
 The success of there two studies opened the door for many
researches, including Francine Patterson and Koko.
 But these studies are hindered by scepticism ...
 H. Terrace says that:
these studies do not take syntax into
account these chimpanzees have
been preconditioned.
 the true ability for language is lacking.
 Other researcher says that this study can
be likened to the “Clever Hans” controversy.

The « Clever Hans » Controversy
 German school teacher, von Osten, in 1904;
 Claims that his horse can think;
 and communicate through clicking his heals or by
nodding his head.
 Oskar Pfungst;
 Explains this phenomenon: « Clever Hans » is simply a
good observer.
The « Clever Hans » Controversy (2)
The horse:
 Has a superior sensory perception;
 Interprets the clues given by his master
(involuntary movement of the head);
 Proof: Did not have the right answer when his
master didn’t know the answer or when the
horse was blindfolded;
 Therefore, the horse was simply trained;
 in other words, it could read the clues given by his
master.
Repercussions on the study of primates
 Many think that the positive results (in the study of
apes) are the results of training (subtle
prompting).
The humans want to animals to do well;
 This is communicated to the animals through involuntary
movements;
 The animals perceive these messages;
 The animals give the desired response.

 Therefore: these animals are only trained.
And the studies continue ...
 In 1977, D. Rumbaugh teaches Lana an artificial
language called Yerkish.
Advantages: there is therefore a certain distance
between the scientist and the chimpanzee, since
they “speak” via a computer and keyboard.
 This eliminates the “clever Hans” phenomenon!
Get this:
the monkeys Sherman and Austin, that know
Yerkish, teach one another the symbols to obtain
food.
And the studies continue ... (2)
In 1980, the bonobos chimps Kanzi et Mulika are
exposed to speech, human gestures and Yerkish
The goal is to imitate the manner in which human acquire
language.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRM7vTrIIis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Dhc2zePJFE
And the studies continue ... (3)
Results: Kanzi learns 90 words in Yerkish with
sentence manipulations (2800 combinations in
all, 90% of which were not taught by the
instructor).
Like a child, Kanzi shows natural linguistics
abilities.
His unexpected reactions and requests prove that
he understands the meaning (and that it is not
only a matter of training).
Example: “Wash the hot dogs”
So … do primates really have access
to human language?
A FEW CONCLUSIONS
Do apes really have access to human language?
“No, but we have learned that”…
No, but we have learned that primates :
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
have access to a symbolic code, whether it be innate or
learned through training;
Are able to name objects, not just ask for them;
Are sensitive to word order (syntax);
Can create new sentence by changing word order;
Can use signs to communicate false information;
Who learn “language” = profoundly modified behaviour
and cognitive abilities.
Why don’t primates who live in the wild “talk”?
 Primates are highly intelligent beings, who have
developed complex social structures, and can
manipulate tools – so why can’t they “talk” in a natural
setting?
 Scientists think that primates have a specific
intelligence, which short-circuits their access to a more
evolved language.
 They are therefore unable to come to a stable
consensus about the meaning of different signs and
symbols that could serve are “words”.