Question

What is the main idea of this selection? Responses Many people study animal linguistics to learn about themselves. Many people study animal linguistics to learn about themselves. A chimpanzee name Bonobo appears to have language skills. A chimpanzee name Bonobo appears to have language skills. The consequences of learning that animals can communicate are far-reaching. The consequences of learning that animals can communicate are far-reaching. Sign language is a language as defined by Hockett's Design Criteria for Language. Sign language is a language as defined by Hockett's Design Criteria for Language.

Answer 1

The main idea is the investigation of the language-like communication capabilities of nonhuman primates in comparison to human language, considering the biological and cultural evolution that enables the complexity and flexibility of human language, which is not observed in the more constrained animal communication systems.

Step-by-step explanation:

The main idea of this selection focuses on the complexities and capabilities of animal communication systems, specifically those of primates, and how they compare and contrast with human language. It explores the unique aspects of human language structure – like its systematic rules that enable infinite recombination of words for new meanings – in contrast to the more limited forms of communication found in other animals, such as the waggle dance of bees or the calls of wild chimpanzees. Additionally, the text delves into research on nonhuman primates, examining their abilities to use sign language and other forms of communication, questions their cognitive and linguistic capacities, and discusses implications for our understanding of human language evolution.

For instance, the studies by primatologist Sue Savage-Rumbaugh on bonobos using lexigrams to communicate and Koko the gorilla, who was taught sign language, are highlighted to illustrate the capacity of great apes for language-like communication. The controversy surrounding these studies suggests that while nonhuman primates may not produce language in the natural world, they have some biological features enabling them to learn human language in a partial and limited way when taught using human-created systems.

The text also suggests that understanding animal communication, especially in primates closely related to humans, can provide insights into the biological and cultural evolution of human language. This exploration underscores the fundamental differences between human language and culture and the communication systems of other animals, while recognizing the continuity that exists between them.