Features of Human Language by Hockett

Language and humans

1. Features of Human Language by Hockett

WHAT ARE HOCKETT’S LANGUAGE FEATURES? A set of rules, chosen by Charles F. Hockett, defines
human communication and sets it apart from animal communication in other words, the features help up
differentiate between human language and animal communication.

THE FEATURES
• VOCAL-AUDITORY CHANNEL- the human language usually occurs vocally. The main idea of the human
language is hearing/speaking.
• BROADCAST TRANSMISSION AND DIRECTIONAL RECEPTION: when one is speaking, the sounds he produces
are being transmitted in all direction. However, listeners perceive the sounds from the direction the sounds
come from. We can see it with signs too. When one is singing, he signs to anyone within the line of sight, and
they can all see him signing.
•TRANSITORINESS (RAPID FADING)- once we speak, the sound doesn’t exist anymore. The sound waves we
create while speaking vanish quickly after we stop using speech language.

HOW SOUND FADES:

•INTERCHANGEABILITY: humans are not limited to acertain type of signal. They can send and perceive
identical linguistic signals. For example: tom and Perry are having a little talk, tom says, “ I’m a very funny
man.” Perry can also say, “I’m a very funny man.”
• TOTAL FEEDBACK: a speaker can control, modify and feel what he says, as he says it. It goes for signals as
well.
•SPECIALIZATION: human sign each other to communicate, not to perform a biological task. An example: A
dog pants sometimes to communicate with it’s owner, however dog pants in order to cool itself, so he has a
biological purpose.
•SEMANTICITY: specific signals that match specific meanings. Example: ‘er’ at the end of a word is usually a
sign for a man with certain profession, such as: painter, writer, photographer.
•ARBITRARINESS: mostly there is no connection between the sign and its meaning. In other words, the words
we use don’t match the objects they represent.
•DISCREETNESS- there are basic units of speech, which can be categorized. The words are perceived
categorically and not continuously.
•DISPLACEMENT- humans can talk about things that are not currently happening, such as future, past and
objects. The human speech is not limited to here and now. Example: “the singer will visit dublin on may 2019,
last time he visited was last june.”
•PRODUCTIVITY: through speech language, a speaker can form a new sentence.
•TRADITIONAL TRANSMISSION: although language capabilities are innate, language is learned by social settings,
children learn to speak through interacting with language speaker.
•DUALITY OF PATTERNING-meaningful words are combined of small meaningful units that are combined of
small meaningless units.
•PREVARICATION- the ability to lie and deceive using speech language.
•REFLEXIVENESS HUMANS- can use speech language in order to talk about language. Example: the whole field
of researching linguistics is reflexive.
• LEARNABILITY- language is both teachable, and learnable. It can be taught, and it could be learned.

2. HALLIDAY’S LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS

INSTRUMENTAL-we all study language in our everyday life. We use it to communicate with others, for work
and study, and entertainment and personal expression.

The main function of a language is called the INSTRUMENTAL FUNCTION: we can call this its practical side
because it serves a certain purpose within society.

Most languages have other functions, too - they plan an important role in fostering feelings of identity and
belonging; they are also used to express emotions such as love or anger and may be used to pass down
knowledge from one generation to another.
 An instrumental function of langauge is used to achieve a certain result. It accomplishes something either for
speaker or someone else, and this information helps us understand its purpose

REGULATORY
The regulatory function of language are just as important in the development of an individual as they are in
maintaining proper physiological states it is the function that controls the behavior of another person or others.

INTERACTIONAL
The interactional function is the communicative use of language. When people communicate with each
other, they have to put the ideas into words and sentences so that others can understand.
As a result, most language users rarely think about how they are using their own language for
communication purposes or what purpose (s) their language serves as they interact in speech situations.

PERSONAL
The personal function of language is an important concept in linguistics. In the context of linguistics,
personal functions means information about people and their relationships. Example: we use pronouns such as
“me” or “you” to identify a particular person who is being spoken to.

HEURISTIC
When we speak of language, the trm heuristic rfers to how our brain organizes and process information.
Language is a complex sytem that employs several different communication media types, including spoken or
written text, gestures, and expressions.
The word “heuristic comes from the greek word for “search”, which indicates its purpose in our daily
lives :as an instrument for learning about reality (example: comprehending it) and solving problems.
He term heuristic function of language refers to ability or potential of language for helping people make
decisions. One of the main reasons human use language is that it helps them solve problems and deal with
specific situations.
Therefore, the concept was created in order for linguists to understand better how exactly communications
works.

IMAGINATIVE
We can define the imaginative function of language as the ability to represent mental images. It is a
comples phenomenon, as it involves linguistic and non-linguistic elements. This article will discuss some of the
most important factore contributing to this cognitive act.
The imaginative function of language is the ability to use words, sounds, and grammatical forms to evoke
pictures, images or scenes in mind.
The word “imaginative” is derived from the imagination, which means the power of forming mental images
or concepts that are not actual objects but have an existence only in fancy. This function enables us to create
imaginary worlds that help us understand abstract ideas by giving them concrete forms which we can see, hear
and touch.
Language’s imaginative function is one factor in the function of human speech, and it has been described as
“the power to evoke images and sensations.” the notion that words carry meaning independent from their
referents can be traced back at least to plato’s cratylus.
Philosophers have debated whether words primarily denote concepts or things, with implications for how
they shape thought; george berkeley proposed a subjective theory of perception and meaning according to
which “ to say ‘they are bodies’ is to say there are certain ideas in mind.”

REPRESENTATIONAL
The representational function of language refers to the way that words can be used to refer to things,
people and events.

The representational function of language is its ability to establish a connection between an object and that
object’s name. This representation is manifested in many ways, such as through the use of pictures or diagrams.
 Representation is important because it allows us to form meaning from our experience by linking names with
objects we have seen before (Chomsky). name-referent connections are the basis for linguistic understanding and
knowledge acquisition.

3. Transmission in Animal Language

DEFINITION OF ANIMAL COMMMUNICATION. 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". Animal
language is the modeling of human language in animal systems

Animal Consciousness

Animals may not be able to speak in master language techniques, but they're certainly able to communicate
with one another; their survival depends on it. Animals generally communicate using four methods: visual,
auditory, tactile and chemical. Some species rely more on one form of communication over another;
however, they all various methods to show affection, ward off threats or attract a mate.

Visual communication for animals comes in two forms: badges and displays. Badges, the color and shape of
the animal, are structural adaptations, such as the bright yellow feathers of the male American goldfinch. The
bright colors tell a prospective mate that the male is a suitable choice. Displays are the behaviors animals
exhibit, such as the glow of a firefly to attract mates or when a dog wags his tail to let you know he's happy.

Visual communication is the least effective since the animals must be close enough to see one another.

Barking, growling, hissing and purring all are considered animal auditory communication. Sounds can be
used to attract mates, ward off threats and express happiness or pain.

For example, dogs bark when approached by a stranger. Red squirrels use a series of rattles, screeches and
yips to warn intruders to stay away. And dolphins use auditory communication to set themselves apart from
others -- a unique whistle that also helps them locate food.

Like humans, animals can rely on tactile communication -- touch -- to convey messages. Most animals use
this form of communication to show affection, comfort or fear, or even to establish dominance. For instance,
horses will kick each other to ward off threats or when competing for a mate. As kittens, cats will nuzzle their
mothers to show affection. Many species of primates will clean each other to bond and show affection.

For some species of animals, communication is about pheromones or chemical markings. They will leave
their own scents to mark their territories, ward off predators or attract a mate. The most well-known example
is that of skunks "spraying" their signature scents when threatened. Cats will rub against objects to make
their territories, leaving scent markers from their mouths.

Animal consciousness, or animal awareness, is the quality or state of self-awareness within a non-human
animal, or of being aware of an external object or something within itself.

Animal consciousness refers to the experiences or conscious sensation during states of wakeful processing
of sensory perception, imagery or dreaming in non-human subjects

6. Experiments on Languages and Animals (viki)

Viki was the subject of one of the first experiments in ape language. Viki was raised by Keith and Catherine
Hayes in the same manner as a human infant, to see if she could learn human words. She was given speech
therapy, which involved the Hayeses (her adopters) manipulating her lower jaw. Eventually, she was able to
voice four words:

mama

papa

up

cup

This extremely limited success was at first interpreted as evidence that apes were not capable of
using human language. However, further experiments in which chimpanzees were instructed in the use
of American sign language indicated that Viki's achievements had been significantly hampered by
physiological limitations—chimpanzees are not able to produce the sounds that make up human speech.
Viki lived like a human, even with a human sibling, for three years with her trainers, Keith and Cathy Hayes,
with the notion that the other failed attempts of teaching a non-human primate a human language failed
because these studies used environments too dissimilar to a human's environment when infants learn
language. The immersive language experienced failed, however, after three years Cathy Hays said “the only
obvious and important deficit in the ape’s innate intelligence, as compared with man’s, is a missing facility
for using and understanding language” (Fitch, 2002). The faculty argument is common in the field of
evolutionary linguistics and biolinguistics. Noam Chomsky called it a "language acquisition device" innate to
humans which allows for our use of the matured "language organ" or faculty (See Hauser, Chomsky, & Fitch,
2002). Chomsky, conceding that language has share components across multiple species and domains, now
uses the terms "Broad" and "Narrow," Narrow being the only human trait of discrete infinity.