This essay will attempt to elaborate which of Charles F. Hockett’s original design features truly qualify as defining and distinctive characteristics of human language in contrast to animal communication systems.
As the self-proclaimed superior species, humanity has always been very fascinated with discovering how special and unique we really are. One genuinely amazing aspect about human beings that supposedly sets us apart from other creatures is our ability to invent, produce and evolve language. Of course, animals have their own ways of communication and thus remains the question of where the actual differences lie. In an attempt to gather defining and more or less exclusive characteristics of human language, linguist Charles F. Hockett proposes thirteen criteria, which he calls the "design-features" of language.
According to Hockett there is evidence that every human language of the world shares these features. The goal of this effort, as Hockett himself states several years after the publication of the original article, was to discover "in just what ways human language differs from the communicative systems of other animals" and thus to define human language in contrast to animal communication.
Table of Contents
1. Essay on Hockett’s design features of language
Objectives and Topics
This essay examines Charles F. Hockett’s "design features" of language to determine which criteria serve as the most defining and distinctive characteristics of human language in contrast to animal communication systems.
- Analysis of Hockett's thirteen design features of language
- Comparison between human language and animal communicative systems
- Evaluation of the concepts of arbitrariness, productivity, and displacement
- Discussion of traditional transmission versus innate language skills
- Critique of the hierarchical structure in language definition
Excerpt from the Book
Essay on Hockett’s design features of language
As the self-proclaimed superior species, humanity has always been very fascinated with discovering how special and unique we really are. One genuinely amazing aspect about human beings that supposedly sets us apart from other creatures is our ability to invent, produce and evolve language. Of course, animals have their own ways of communication and thus remains the question of where the actual differences lie. In an attempt to gather defining and more or less exclusive characteristics of human language, linguist Charles F. Hockett proposes thirteen criteria, which he calls the “design-features” of language (1960, p. 90). According to Hockett there is evidence that every human language of the world shares these features (ibid.). The goal of this effort, as Hockett himself states several years after the publication of the original article, was to discover “in just what ways human language differs from the communicative systems of other animals” and thus to define human language in contrast to animal communication (1990, p. 361). In that regard, this essay will attempt to elaborate which of Hockett’s original design features truly qualify as defining and distinctive characteristics of human language in contrast to animal communication systems.
Summary of Chapters
1. Essay on Hockett’s design features of language: The text evaluates Hockett's design features to distinguish human language from animal communication, emphasizing the role of specific features like displacement, arbitrariness, and productivity.
Keywords
Psycholinguistics, Charles F. Hockett, Design features, Human language, Animal communication, Displacement, Arbitrariness, Productivity, Interchangeability, Semanticity, Traditional transmission, Language acquisition, Generative grammar, Iconicity, Vocal-auditory channel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental purpose of this paper?
The paper aims to analyze Charles F. Hockett’s "design features" of language to identify which characteristics truthfully define human language and set it apart from animal communication systems.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The study covers the comparison of communication systems, the evaluation of linguistic criteria as proposed by Hockett, and the debate surrounding the biological or traditional acquisition of language.
What is the central research question?
The research asks which of Hockett’s design features qualify as truly defining characteristics of human language and why they are necessary to distinguish it from animal systems.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The author performs a theoretical analysis and literature review by comparing Hockett's frameworks with observations and research studies on animal communication, such as the behavior of vervet monkeys and prairie dogs.
What content is discussed in the main body?
The body discusses specific features like displacement, productivity, arbitrariness, and interchangeability, while testing them against real-world observations of animal communication.
Which keywords characterize the work?
The work is defined by terms such as psycholinguistics, design features, displacement, human language, animal communication, and linguistic productivity.
How does the author explain the ‘waggle dance’ of bees?
The author uses the bees' waggle dance as an example of displacement that, while impressive in signaling direction and distance, remains highly restrictive compared to the unlimited scope of human language.
What is the role of displacement in human language?
Displacement allows humans to talk about remote things, past events, or abstract concepts that are not present in the immediate environment, which is considered a cornerstone of human linguistic uniqueness.
- Quote paper
- Myron Christidis (Author), 2022, Hockett's Design Features of Language. An Evaluation, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1312737
