Those who argue pro and con whether chimps, gorillas, and/or African gray
parrots can learn "language" often get hung up on the definition of
"language." For Chomsky, for example, the essence of human language is
syntax, the capacity to learn a set of (unconscious) rules for generating
sentences composed of numerous words/morphemes whose arrangements specify
an interpretation capable of describing in detail a multi-faceted event or
situation, often imagined. For others it has been sufficient to show that
the animal can learn to employ abstract symbols to refer to concepts, such
as colors, shapes, nominal categories (like "dog," "banana," "tickle,"
etc.), perhaps stringing several of these together in an apparently
meaningful sequence (but lacking true rules of syntax, according to
Chomsky et al.). Humans regardless of their specific language learn at an
incredibly early age and under radically varying conditions to employ tens
of thousands of "words" to compose over the course of a lifetime many
millions of sentences they had never heard before. The symbolic
communciative capacities of non-human animals are substantial but are
qualitatively distinct from those of humans, or so I'm convinced.

Gene Hunn.

On Wed, 31 Jan 1996, Ellen Blackstone wrote:

>
> On Tue, 30 Jan 1996, Eugene Hunn wrote:
>
> > Have the authors considered weaver birds, beavers, termites, bees, wasps,
> > spiders, etc.? As an anthropologist I have long thought the focus on tool
> > use/manufacture misplaced as a defining behavioral propensity of _Homo
> > sapiens_. However, find me a crow (or a chimp or parrot for that matter)
> > that can generate an uncountably large number of meaningful sentences and
> > I'll step down from my pedestal.
> >
> > Gene Hunn.
> ***************************************************************************
> Gene and Tweeters-- A lot of questions here. Other folks who have been
> reading about these Corvid Crafters question whether the tools are
> planned, and whether they are stored. Good question/Different venue.
>
> I would recommend, though, that you visit the homepage highlighting Alex,
> the African Grey parrot.
> <http://rampages.onramp.net/perfect/pepperbg/index.html>
>
> Alex can discern shapes and color and quantity (up to 6 or so). From
> browsing this website and from reading more about Alex, I gather that he
> can also put together several unprompted sentences. "Uncountable"?
> Probably not. But he's still in process! Enjoy--EB
>