EXAM ANSWER ON ANIMAL LANGUAGE

Exercise 1

Sort out the separate paragraphs of the animal language essay which follows into the right order.

Exercise 2

Decide on whether each paragraph is largely skill A or skill B, or a mixture of both.

Paragraph	Skill	Paragraph	Skill
1		6
2		7
3		8
4		9
5

Exercise 3

This essay lacks the use of good linking sign posts:- ie. signals to the examiner as to what the essay is doing next. Below are a number of such phrases, which could be slotted into the essay. Decide for which paragraphs the linking phrases would be best suited, and indicate this by placing the number of the paragraph next to the suitable linking phrase below.

• However, a number of psychologists are critical of this evidence.
• A final criticism of this whole area of research...
• Firstly, there is considerable evidence to support the idea that animals can use human language.
• However, doubt has been thrown on the above criticism.
• Due to criticism of the early research, more recent psychologists have changed the research method, adding weight to the idea that animals can use human language.
• Still further evidence comes from....

Exercise 4

Now mark it.

Essay on Animal Language for group Activities

Describe and Critically Assess Research into Animal Language.

There has been considerable interest in the question of non-human animals and their ability to communicate using language. But first of all, what do we consider to be language and is animal language different to all aspects of humans, and can animals be taught language?

Hockett (1950s) identified 16 features of human language including such things as traditional transmission- an ability to pass language frorrace's findings lead to an investigation of the Gardner's film footage which brought about the finding about the 'Baby in my cup' sentence.

The American sign language research has also been criticized as it is argued that chimps don't have to show an understanding of the words, only the ability to copy the shapes and forms. This has led to the introduction of the lexigram in recent studies. This piece of equipment requires the animals to show an understanding of the words before using them. Savaguage. Gardner and Gardner (1960s) taught their chimpanzee Washoe to use American Sign Language by moulding his hands into the shapes of the words and rewarding for correct use of signs. By five years old Washoe could produce 133 signs and in independent tests was able to produce a 72% accuracy. The Gardners also claimed that Washoe had the ability to string signs together forming meaningful sentences, for example, 'Baby in my cup'. However, it was shown later in the examination of film footage that Mr. Gardner had actually signed the same sentence only seconds before.

Patterson (1970s) and her Gorilla Koko were able to produce similar results, this time taking the use of language a step further being able to talk about an incident which occurred days earlier when Koko had bitten Patterson, when asked why Koko signed 'Sorry, bit scratch wrong'. These findings back up the work by Gardners in supporting the ability of these apes to produce language.

Terrace et al. did not have such success with their chimp Nim. It was discovered that a child of Nim's age possessed a much greater ability at signing. Terrace also reported that Nim could not string more than two words together at any time. These findings, were quite contrary to those of the Gardners and Patterson.

Roger Fouts (1970s) claimed that Terrace's failing to find better results had nothing to do with Nim's ability but was rather the fault of the inexperienced trainers and lack of stimulating environment for Nim. Even so, Terrace's findings lead to an investigation of the Gardner's film footage which brought about the finding about the 'Baby in my cup' sentence.

The American sign language research has also been criticized as it is argued that chimps don't have to show an understanding of the words, only the ability to copy the shapes and forms. This has led to the introduction of the lexigram in recent studies. This piece of equipment requires the animals to show an understanding of the words before using them. Savage-Rumbaugh (1988) had a great deal of success with Kanzi (an ape). Using the lexigram, Kanzi was able to have conversations over the phone, about past experiences, and show depth of knowledge required to produce multiple sentences. However, this has not been replicated in other studies and is still a relatively new method.

Do we have the right to judge non-human animals, namely apes, on their ability to produce human language when they are clearly not 'designed' to use it? For example, cognitive behaviour in chimps does not meet the standards needed to produce spontaneous actions. Wouldn't it be better to concentrate on trying to understand the language/communication used by other species such as dolphins, so that human understanding can develop through a mutual bond with other species rather than teaching our language to animals which are clearly not adapted to its depth and complications. Honey bees have shown features of Hockett's 16 features in their own communication patterns. Worker and scout honey bees possess the ability to show the rest of the hive where they have found nectar and the waggle dance shows direction and proximity. These dances show 5 of Hockett's features and are a clear example that if we can stop concentrating on teaching our language to other species, we can learn from others.

In conclusion it would seem that animals do possess the ability to use human language human but the question arises whether it would be more profitable to concentrate on understanding animals own language.

Words = 766

This worksheet has benn posted by Becs Hursey of the PGCE Social Science group, 1999 - 2000.

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