This document compares human language and animal communication. It outlines the key characteristics of human language, including its social, learned, rule-based, and creative nature. It then discusses animal communication, describing the basic components of signaller, receiver, signal, and channels. It provides examples of different types of animal communication including visual signals like honeybee dances, auditory calls, and chemical signals like pheromones. The document notes that while animal communication conveys information, human language has significant qualities like arbitrariness of meaning and infinite creativity that are not present in animal communication systems.

1. HUMAN LANGUAGE
VS
ANIMAL
COMMUNICATION
Daphne Tunga Anak Engkamat
Jude Michelle Anak Pohie

2. Characteristics of human
language
Social tool
- Communication
(People of our own
culture , other culture
& ancient cultures
To be learned
-Mother-tongue(first)
-Other languages
(English, BM & etc)
Has sounds & meanings
-Human lang is arbitrary
-Has duality.
-Has basic sounds
e.g. English basic sounds
Has language rules &
meanings
- guide how parts of
language can be combined
-Grammar rules
-Sound rules
-Generates
creativity
-Infinite
variety of
messages

3. Variety
(human language)
Can refer to more
than one thing
Things can be called
more than one name.
Words can be combined in a
variety of ways.

4. ANIMAL COMMUNICATION
1. Passage of information between two
animals(Biological communication).
2. Study of animal communication-zoosemiotics.
TYPES OF ANIMAL
COMMUNICATION
1. Intraspecific communication-within a single species.
e.g. Honeybee(dance)
2. Insterspecific communication
- more than one species

5. Functions of Communications
1. Agonistic interaction (threats display during
competition).
2. Mating rituals, attract & maintain attention of potential
mates.
3. Ownership/territorality
4. Food-related signals-lead members to a food source.
5. Alarm calls-Warn of threat from predators.

6. INTER-
SPECIFIC
COMM
Prey to predator
e.g warning
colouration in
wasp
Predator to prey
-Some predators
comm to prey,
make them
easier to catch.
Human/animal communication
-Domestication of animals

7. BASIC COMPONENTS OF ANIMAL
COMMUNICATION
1. Signaller- Emits signal
2. Receiver-Receives signal
3. Signal-The behaviour emitted by the signaller
4. Channels-A pathway through which normally a signal
travels.
Channels
- Visual
- Auditory
- Chemical

8. 1. Visual communication
- Information transmitted by visual means(movement,
posture/shape of body, facial expressions, colour
identifications & display & light).
Honeybee(movement)
-Performs two types of dances(communicate through dancing).
a) Round dance
- Indicating food is nearby
- Dancing bee will ask working bees to distribute food to
other bees.
b)Waggle dance
- Wags abdomen, vigorously sideways.
- Creates angle that bee adopts, represents the angle in
which food is found

9. Honeybee dance movement.

10. Posture/Shape of Body

11. Facial Expressions
e.g. Facial expressions of a chimpanzee

12. Colours & Display
Goldfinch
Has bright yellow body
(mating season)
Male Peacock
Visual display(feathers), part of
courtship rituals.

13. Light(Bioluminescence)
- Communicate via light signals(some animals &
insects).
e.g. Anglerfish & firefly
Anglerfish
- Deep down the
ocean (midnight
zone & abyss)
- Sunlight cant
reach.
Firefly

14. Auditory Communication
- Send info by sound productions(auditory
signals/bioacoustic signal).
- Good means of communication over long distance.
e.g. bottlenose dolphins
Bottlenose Dolphin
-Wide range of vocalizations.
- Has unique whistlings, to
identify itself.

15. Odour/Chemical Communication
-Pheromones (used for chemical communication).
-Involved in mate identification, marking territory & alarm
spreading.
e.g.
Skunk
Spray liquid with
strong odour.
Canines & Dog Families
-Use urine
- Mark boundaries of
their territories.

16. Differences. . .
Communication
A sender provides info to
a receiver through a
signal(interpret
exchange)
Human language
possesses a number
of significant qualities.
No animal can combine
sounds & gestures.
Relationship
between sound of
a word & its
meaning almost
always arbitrary
in human, animals
often biologically
fixed.
Humans do
something quite
significant with
their language.
Animals no.