Human Language

Coursera

? What is language?

3 dimensions:
1. Descrete infinity: Language is infinite!

descrete = limited = countable

E.g: alphabet system. limited set. unlimited words.

apes can’t do that. they can have some simple combination, but they can’t combine them to make more and more complicated system.

2. Displacement

In time

In place

Abstract notions

E.g: Bees can communicate about space, because they can dance and wiggle and tell other bees where to find their honey. Can only talk about what they have really seen.

3. Joint attention

Human language expresses a share goals.

Language is inherently cooperative

Animals do have system of communication

SUMMARY

Human communication:

• Infinite message with finite means
• Talk about things not in here and now
• Language is a fundamentally cooperative tool

WE USE LANGUAGE:

• To communicate ideas
• To think
• To show who we are, which group