Professor Joshua Belknap | Co Req ML | FALL 2024

11/20/24: How Language Shapes the Way We Think

Answer the questions related to the short Michael Corbalis video regarding the mystery of human language.

Is it really true that only humans are capable of true language? If so, how did it evolve? Could it be that birds or dolphins have language that we havenā€™t yet decoded? Explain your opinion and why you think your theory is correct.

Post your answers here in comments and we will discuss in class.

6 Comments

  1. Sophia

    I do think that only humans are capable of true language, but I think that animals can communicate with each other and have their own language that we haven’t been able to discover yet. I think my theory is correct because animals sometimes can not only understand with each other, but can also understand us, like dogs.

  2. Maria

    I think every living species has the capacity to communicate in a certain language. Animals maybe can’t talk and communicate in the same way that we humans do it, but they have their own ways of communicating. We know that the wolves howl as a way to communicate and let other wolves know their location and other things, in some sense thatā€™s their language. I think that we donā€™t have the capacity to learn the language of the animals in the same way that they canā€™t learn our language. I donā€™t think animals think that we canā€™t talk or communicate just because they might donā€™t understand us. 

  3. Angela Nesmy

    I believe that only humans possess ā€œtrue languageā€, since we are able to communicate with each other through the use of words, letters, shapes, and figures. It evolve as time passes by, as humans discover sounds that came from nature, animals, etc. we develop words that we can use to communicate with other people. Birds and dolphins or animals in general have their own language that we humans havenā€™t decoded yet, however the way they communicate could also be seen on how they act. Like how dogs and cats communicate with their body language and the noise they make. I believe that my theory makes sense because itā€™s pretty obvious how humans and animals communicate differently. We wouldnā€™t be able to tell if our dog is hungry if they wouldnā€™t bark continuously to communicate their needs.

  4. Qianying Zheng

    I think it’s really true that only humans are capable of true languag. But I think the language of animals is their normal calls. I think they all use their calls to communicate with their own kind.

  5. Leoddy

    Is it really true that only humans are capable of true language?

    • No itā€™s not true also animals have language because they also communicate with each other is that we humans donā€™t understand animal language.

    If so, how did it evolve?

    • Iā€™ll say it evolved more in gestures and noises for animals to communicate for example danger.

    Could it be that birds or dolphins have language that we havenā€™t yet decoded?

    • Yes, we still donā€™t understand what animals say.

    Explain your opinion and why you think your theory is correct.

    • I think my theory is correct because often we see animals doing noises and gestures and they understand each other, is that we humans donā€™t understand the meaning of animal language.
  6. Rafael Marin

    I think the answer is yes because humans are the only ones who have a ā€œreal languageā€ and we have a fully developed communication system while birds and dolphins do not have much because they lack knowledge of talking like a human being but they do have a way of communicating with each other such as sounds, gestures and signs.

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