Human Language and Animal Communication System.docVIP

Human Language and Animal Communication System 　　【Abstract】Human language differs from animal communication in many ways. Hockett isolated 16 features that characterize human language and which distinguish it from other communication systems. The following passage will introduce some of these features， and by comparing language with animal communication systems， we can have a better understanding of the nature of language. 　　【Key words】human language； animal communication； difference 　　Introduction 　　If someone asks you what separates humans from other animals， one of the first things that would probably come to mind is language. Language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication （Wardhaugh 1972）. However， animal communication is the transmission of a signal from one animal to another such that the sender benefits， on average， from the response of the recipient （Slater 1983）. So how does human language differ from animal communication？ American linguist Charles Hockett believed that there are sixteen features of human language that distinguished human communication from that of animals. Here I just want to discuss three of them， and each animal system differs entirely from all human languages in the three ways. They are arbitrariness， displacement， and productivity. 　　Arbitrariness 　　Human language is a symbolic system. The signs or words in language have no inherent connection to what they signify or mean， which means there is no intrinsic connection between the word pen and the thing we use to write with. Although the choice of certain sound symbols to present certain objects， events or ideas is arbitrary， once the relationship is established， it becomes a fixed convention. However， animal communication is not symbolic， which means ideas cannot be preserved for the future. 　　Displacement 　　Human language can talk about things that are not happening here or now. It means speakers can talk about the past and the future， as well