Doctor Dolittle's Delusion: Animals and the Uniqueness of Human Language

by Stephen R. Anderson

Overview

Dr. Dolittle—and many students of animal communication—are wrong: animals cannot use language. This fascinating book explains why.

Can animals be taught a human language and use it to communicate? Or is human language unique to human beings, just as many complex behaviors of other species are uniquely theirs? This engrossing book explores communication and cognition in animals and humans from a linguistic point of view and asserts that animals are not capable of acquiring or using human language.
 
Stephen R. Anderson explains what is meant by communication, the difference between communication and language, and the essential characteristics of language. Next he examines a variety of animal communication systems, including bee dances, frog vocalizations, bird songs, and alarm calls and other vocal, gestural, and olfactory communication among primates. Anderson then compares these to human language, including signed languages used by the deaf. Arguing that attempts to teach human languages or their equivalents to the great apes have not succeeded in demonstrating linguistic abilities in nonhuman species, he concludes that animal communication systems—intriguing and varied though they may be—do not include all the essential properties of human language. Animals can communicate, but they can’t talk.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780300127102
Publisher:	Yale University Press
Publication date:	11/01/2004
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	883,851
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Stephen R. Anderson is professor of linguistics, psychology, and cognitive science at Yale University.

Editorial Reviews

Anderson (linguistics & cognitive science, Yale Univ.) presents a thorough analysis of the significant animal-language experiments done over the last 100 years. By distinguishing simple communication from syntactical language, he makes a strong case that animals do not possess any language. He provides detailed studies of bee dancing, frog croaking, bird singing, and primate signing and concludes that although some animals can communicate in fairly complex ways, these calls are not language. Anderson does not purport to have an agenda or bias other than to present some concrete findings: his book does not conclude that a lack of language in animals justifies human exploitation. Well researched and highly organized, this book is chiefly aimed at an academic audience. For popular reading, acquire Eugene Linden's The Parrot's Lament and Stephen Budiansky's If a Lion Could Talk. Highly recommended for academic libraries.-John M. Kistler, Houston, PA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

"A terrific read, informative, judicious, and timely."—Norbert Hornstein, University of Maryland

"In this enjoyable and informative book, Stephen Anderson incisively states the way that diverse areas of study have helped illuminate the question of communication by animals and our communication with them."—Diane Brentari, Purdue University

From the Publisher