Lingstica Lectura de caracterstiques del llenguatge hum

Extret de:

HOCKETT, Charles (1977), The view from language. Selected seis,

1948-1974. University of Georgia, Athens. Pg. 169-173. [Versi reduda].

A continuaci teniu una srie de caracterstiques que tenen tots els sistemes de
comunicaci seguides de les caracterstiques exclusives del llenguatge hum, segons
Hockett

Features all communication systems have:

1. Means of Transmitting the Message, a Medium. For example, vocal cords, hand
movements, chemicals, etc.

2. Semanticity. The signals have meaning.

3. Pragmatic Function. The system has a purpose. This purpose can be something
necessary to life, such as a request for food, mating calls, warning signals, etc., but can
also include things such as social speech and exchanges of information. The purpose
is not always obvious, or necessarily an important purpose in the eyes of all.

Features some communication systems have:

4. Interchangeability. Individuals in the system can both give and receive signals.
For example, two humans can use the same words with one another to communicate.
As a negative example, the Bombyx mori (silkworm) females can give out a mating
chemical, while the males cannot; they do not have interchangeability.

Also, note that interchangeability is not determined solely by physical capability; mental
capacity is also required. For example, female robins do not use a mating call. While
is unknown (at least to our class) whether they have the physical ability to make the
mating call, observations have shown that they do not make the call. Thus, that call is
not interchangeable.

5. Cultural Transmission. This is the learning of language from others. Since all
language appears to be somewhat innate (at least, with humans, we are born with the
capacity to learn language, although we are not born knowing any languages), it could
be better to think of cultural transmission as filling in the plans of an innate house.
Lingstica Lectura de caracterstiques del llenguatge hum

Thus, in a sense, everything is only partially culturally transmitted, since humans have
a genetically-based capacity for language.

Cultural Transmission does have limits in some species. For example, with humans
and finches, language acquisition does not happen easily or ever fully after a certain
age. Finches have been tested by removing them from other finches until they are
grown; the test finches do make calls (so it is somewhat innate) but never to full
capacity (so it is somewhat transmitted culturally). With humans, cases such as Genie,
show that although some language can be learned, not nearly as much can be once a
certain age is passed if no exposure to language has occurred. The Critical Period
Theory states that language acquisition occurs best at an early age, primarily before
puberty, and the capacity for it decreases after that age.

Some communication systems are fully innate, however, with no cultural transmission.
For example, cow birds (who lay their eggs in other birds nests), when born, will give
cow bird calls, not the calls of whatever bird they are raised by. Thus, their calls are
fully innate.

6. Arbitrariness. Some signals in the communication system are arbitrary, symbolic

and not iconic.

7. Discreteness. The communication system is made of discrete units, which can be

broken apart to form new signals. For example, our sentences are made of words, our
words syllables, stems, and such, and even those units of letters. Each can be broken
apart.

Discreteness is a requirement for the ninth design feature, Productivity, but note that
just because a system has discrete units does not mean that these units can be broken
up to form new units.

(Another note is that languages that might not seem to be discrete, such as Chinese,
actually are. For example, Chinese symbols are usually composed of two symbols,
which can be broken apart and re-arranged.)

Features that human language has:

8. Displacement. This is the ability to communicate about thoughts, feelings, or things

that are not currently present or existent, such as how you felt yesterday.
Lingstica Lectura de caracterstiques del llenguatge hum

Note that lacking the ability of displacement does not mean that one cannot remember
the past, but that one cannot communicate about it within ones communication
system.

9. Productivity. This is the ability to reform discrete units to form new signals, (such
as words.) For example, we make new words out of small units, or rearrange words to
make sentences.