Eli5: Are all species of birds speaking different languages?
In: Other
Language is really complex. There are a lot of ways to define it, but most people agree that it has to be referential (i.e. I’m using specific words to talk about a thing), grammatical (i.e. I use those words in a specific order), and requires symbolic thought (i.e. I can think in an abstract way that allows me to understand and use grammar and syntax, even though it is not necessary for survival). In the archaeological record, symbolic thought is often inferred by the presence of art, which is why even Neanderthals (despite new evidence showing their vocal organs and mental capabilities were very similar to ours) weren’t capable of language (although that’s changing with new research; it’s a very interesting rabbit hole to fall down if you’re interested).
That’s all to say that lot of anthropologists, biologists, and linguists still think humans are the only animals capable of language. Therefore the general consensus would be no, birds aren’t speaking other languages since according to our definition they aren’t speaking a language at all. However different birds DO have different calls, so if you loosen the definition of language beyond the commonly accepted one then yes I guess you could say they do.
Latest Answers