Hockett's Language Features

Hockett's Language Features

• Hockett's language features are a set of rules defined by Charles F. Hockett
• Used to distinguish human communication from animal communication
• Help differentiate between human and animal language/communication
• Human language typically occurs vocally
• The core of human language is hearing/speaking
• During speech, sounds are transmitted in all directions, but listeners perceive them from the source
• Signing also exhibits this, as signs are visible within the line of sight
• Spoken sounds disappear, with sound waves vanishing after speech stops
• Humans can both send and perceive identical linguistic signals
• Speakers can control, modify, and perceive their own signals during communication
• Humans communicate to convey information, not just for biological functions
• Specific signals correspond to specific meanings
• There's typically no direct connection between a sign and its meaning
• Speech consists of basic units that can be categorized distinctly
• Humans can discuss past, future, and hypothetical events, unrestricted by the present
• Speech allows speakers to create novel sentences
• Language skills are learned through social interaction, especially in childhood

Additional Language Features

• Words are formed from smaller meaningful units, which are further composed of meaningless units
• The ability to deceive or lie using language
• Using language to discuss language itself
• Language is both teachable and learnable

Halliday's Functions of Language

• According to Peregoy & Boyle, language function is the communicative intention or purpose of a speaker's utterance
• Language functions are important for assessing oral proficiency and expanding vocabulary
• Language is used to fulfill needs, often starting with "I want"
• Language regulates behavior, feelings, or attitudes, often indicating "Do as I say."
• Language is used for social connection, expressing a "Me and You" dynamic
• Language is used to express individuality and personal feelings, often starting with "Here I come”.
• Language seeks information and tests knowledge, often presenting a "Tell me why" format
• Language creates stories and new worlds, marked by a "Let's pretend" tone
• Language conveys information and provides descriptions, marked by an "I've got something to tell you" tone
• Language uses jokes and puns for entertainment with an "Enjoy this" vibe
• Debates incorporate personal, regulatory, informative, and interactional functions
• Group projects use regulatory, interactional, and informative functions
• Podcasts employ informative and personal functions

Non-Human Communication

• Non-human communication occurs without words
• Animals use visual, auditory, chemical (pheromones), or tactile signals to communicate
• These signals help animals find mates, establish dominance, defend territory, coordinate group behavior, and care for young
• Animals use sounds to express feelings, alarm others, or impress mates

Types of Animal Communication

• Some animals use complex auditory methods to communicate through their body parts
• Visual communication relies on gestures, postures, expressions, color changes, or camouflage
• Tactile communication occurs through touching, essential for bonding, infant care, grooming, or dominance displays
• Chemical communication uses pheromones for various purposes like attracting mates or signaling alarm

Animal Language Projects: The Lana & Washoe Projects

• Lana Project's researcher was Dr. Tim Gill
• Communication medium was an electronic keyboard with symbols (lexigrams), color-coded to represent words
• Duane Rumbaugh noted Lana learned best in closed social interactions
• "Please Tim tickle Lana" was Lana's favorite request
• Washoe arrived in Reno in June 1966 at 10 months old
• Alan and Trixie Gardner taught Washoe sign language via fun and familiar games
• "More" was the first sign Washoe learned, eventually mastering 133 signs

The Koko Project

• Koko's full name, Hanabiko, means "fireworks child"
• American Sign Language was used to teach Koko communication
• Koko used 500-600 signs by age 5
• Koko had an 85 IQ
• Koko learned 2,200+ signs from 1972-1982
• "Food" and "more" were Koko's first words
• In 2009, Koko learned the sign of "butterfly"
• Koko improvised signs when they did not know the correct sign
• Koko passed away in her sleep at 46
• Koko was fascinated by cats and had a cat by the name of "All Ball"
• Two methods of teaching Koko were moulding and imitation
• Koko studied for 10-20 hours for the first month and 8.5 hours a day afterwards

Origin of Language

• Societies believed language was a divine gift to humans
• Humans have an innate capacity for complex language, with no primitive languages existing
• The natural evolution hypothesis suggests humans developed a Language Acquisition Device (LAD)
• The invention hypothesis suggests early humans named things based on associated sounds
• "Ding-Dong" theory: humans name things based on recognizable sounds associated with them
• "Bow-wow" theory: human vocabulary came from animal noises
• "Pooh-pooh" theory: first words came from spontaneous expressions of feeling
• The "yo-he-ho" hypothesis proposes language evolved for human cooperation via chanting

Language Theories

• Sturtevant argued voluntary communication was invented to deceive
• The way language is structured shapes how its speakers perceive the world (Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis)
• Different languages highlight different aspects of experience (Linguistic Relativity)
• Language can limit thought, though influence is more flexible (Linguistic Determinism)
• Paget proposed facial and mouth movements mirrored hand gestures before becoming speech