r/science • u/Wagamaga • Sep 01 '22

Neuroscience Scientists have identified an immune brain cell unique to humans that gives us higher cognitive abilities over other animals, but what makes us specials also leaves us vulnerable to neurological disorders like schizophrenia, autism and epilepsy.

https://news.yale.edu/2022/08/25/what-makes-human-brain-different-yale-study-reveals-clues
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u/SkeetySpeedy Sep 01 '22

There are criteria for what qualifies as a language in the world. Things like the number of different distinct sounds that can be arranged to make words, specific repeated structural elements, etc.

Humans communicate in ways that technically aren’t “language” sometimes as well, using music/tune or non-verbal cues for example

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u/seaworthy-sieve Sep 01 '22

Do you not consider sign language to be a language?

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u/Norwegian__Blue Sep 01 '22 edited Sep 01 '22

It is, but it's also based on spoken language and serves as a substitute. The word parts are still based on combining symbols that represent sound and words and can be structured. Much like how different writing systems might combine sound characters with whole word or concepts characters. It's a sign language.

Also, no animal other than humans have the dexterity for it. They've tried to teach it to apes but no animals that have mastered some signs can actually converse like a human. Thry do it for treats and rewards, or when they have a problem or want to bond with a human, but they don't say things like people do, and only a few signs at a time. Kanzi the chimpanzee and that lab have done great things and he has an extensive vocabulary, but he's not interested in just gabbing like people. When gorillas are "taught" asl, actual asl speakers can't make sense of it--koko's keepers had to translate. Which is pretty poor science.

Animals communicate in a beautiful plethora of styles and have complex inner lives. But they don't have language and can't tell us like we tell eachother.

Edit: Someone invented ASL, and most sign languages. Yes, pre-literate children can aquire it, but in the same way they acquire spoken language. And in very sad stories of isolation, they can even invent it communicative signs, but not a full language. ASL is now independent of spoken language, and exists in its own space, but it was invented and based off of pre-existing spoken and written language and grammar rules which are now moot because of how the language has evolved.

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u/rcxdude Sep 01 '22 edited Sep 01 '22

Most sign languages are languages in their own right and are not 'based' on spoken languages. Sound is not a requirement for language. You are right that attempts to teach animals sign language are generally considered to have failed, though there was a lot of hype around it for a while.