Final answer:
Vervet monkeys communicate with specific calls that prompt distinct responses from others in their group, signaling different types of threats. While vervet monkeys' communication is sophisticated, it does not constitute a true language as it lacks the complexity and generativity of human language. Monkeys use various methods like sound, sight, and touch to communicate, but their systems have limited scope compared to human language.
Step-by-step explanation:
Vervet monkeys exhibit a sophisticated form of communication with specific calls that elicit particular behaviors from other monkeys in the group. These vocalizations are context-dependent and signal different types of threats. For example, when a vervet monkey emits a "leopard" call, the other monkeys react by seeking refuge in the trees. Upon hearing an "eagle" call, vervet monkeys typically look upwards and seek shelter, since eagles are aerial predators. A "snake" call prompts them to stand on two legs and look around in the grass to locate the threat. This context-specific communication resembles elements of language as they convey specific information; however, it does not encompass the full complexity, abstraction, and generativity of human language. Therefore, it can be said that vervet monkeys have the ability to communicate, but they do not use a true language in the human sense.
Communication in monkeys and other animals is achieved through various methods, including sound, sight, and touch. Monkeys use vocalizations, facial expressions, and body movements to convey messages to other troop members. These communication systems are typically limited in scope and lack the infinite productivity and rules-based structure that characterize human language. While primates show sophisticated communicative abilities, their systems do not allow for the endless recombination of signs for creating new meaning as seen in human language.