The ability to acquire and use language...an innate capacity unique to human beings??

Question

a question i saw lately in a forum- stupid really i doubt theres much for this argument. If you have a FOR answer, you must be a genius and I'd like to see it!! :)

Answer 1

There's a huge theory on it put forward by Chomsky. I am not going to write the whole theory here but if you do a simple research on the following key terms, you'll find the answer you're looking for:

innateness
LAD
universal grammar
principles and parameters theory
poverty of the stimulus argument

Answer 2

Yes. We acquire and use language according to our own reasons and this is an innate ability and freedom of each of us. Animals may seem to have the same ability but close investigation reveals that they do it not for individual personal reasons but according to impulses triggered by seasons or cycles of nature. They are governed by nature. One might think that we do as animals would but studies on human language show that our way of communication is not a fixed or a set system ready to function at any moment a stimulus for it occurs -as in the case of animals. We invent our ways, thus, making human means of communication artificial, that is, not given by nature; unlike animals' way which is a given, in-born, provided by nature.

Answer 3

Amongst species? I highly doubt that! I expect that there is interspecies use of language in all but humanity. Ever witness the species all move at once when there is something terrrible going to happen?

Answer 4

this question is still up for debate among many scholars. read "the language instinct" by Stephen Pinker or many of Noam Chomsky's books, then you can decide for yourself. I personally think it is an innate trait. the evidence that makes me a believer is that children say the wrong things, but grammatically correct, hence they don't hear it and repeat it. an example is when my nephew gets mad he says, "no, I amn't."

Answer 5

Not at all. Various other apes have dialects that are specific to their region. They have also developed primitive tools or skills that are also regional. Gorillas have been trained to use a "keypad" to communicate i.e. to associate a symbol with a desire. Whales and dolphins also have dialects that vary by pod or region within a species.

Answer 6

Spoken language yes, Sign language no. Apes can be taught sign language and hold conversations with their keepers, they just haven't developed the vocal chords to actually speak the spoken word.

Answer 7

no, there was an african grey parrot that recently died (last week) who was famous in the scientific and animal world because he could clearly understand and use the english language (only to the level of a 3 or 4 year old though).

Answer 8

if there were other species that could use language it would be possible to interview them.

have you ever seen a bonobo appear on oprah?

these characters who believe there are chimps who can sign intelligible sentences probably never made it past the disney channel.

Answer 9

All animals use language among thereselves (and towards other animals)! (And jesture) Birds, Porpous, Whales, Monkeys, etc.
Accents are recognized by there territory or family heritage!
Ya`ll

Answer 10

Gorillas can use sign language.