Hockett’s Design Features in Language

Language Design Features

• The relationship between language symbols and the concepts they represent is arbitrary, meaning there is no inherent connection between the two.

Language Perception

• The phenomenon where language stimuli can be perceived at different levels of representation simultaneously is called parallel processing.

Grammar Types

• Prescriptive grammar provides completely arbitrary rules, such as the rule 'do not end sentences with prepositions', aiming to impose a standardized language use.

Grammar Functions

• The main function of grammar related to word order constraints in different languages is syntactic function.

Language Rules

• The systematic rules that determine how people actually speak in a language are called descriptive rules.

Recursion in Language

• Recursion in the context of language refers to the ability to embed phrases or clauses within each other, creating an infinite range of possible sentences.

Comparative Method

• According to the comparative method, modern human language evolved from more primitive communication systems.

Human Language vs. Non-Human Primate Communication

• What distinguishes human language from non-human primate communication is the ability to create an infinite range of expressions from a finite set of elements.

Recursion in Pirahã Language

• Recursion does not exist in the Pirahã language, which lacks the ability to embed phrases or clauses within each other.

Teaching ASL to Non-Human Primates

• A significant finding from teaching American Sign Language (ASL) to non-human primates is that they can be trained to learn human-like language abilities.