General Discussion

Damansarajaya

(625 posts)

40. If they possessed it (ability to understand syntax), they would use it.

Wed Aug 13, 2014, 05:36 PM

Aug 2014

If they used it, they would have language.

Do they use it?

No.

Then they don't really understand it.

And they don't really have language.

Animals can be trained to do just about anything. Skinner trained pigeons to guide missiles. The pigeons didn't understand anything however.

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Highlight:

Koko The Gorilla Mourning The Loss Of Robin Williams [View all] Fearless Aug 2014 OP

wow. BlancheSplanchnik Aug 2014 #1

^ eom littlemissmartypants Aug 2014 #7

Here is the video of their meeting. Uncle Joe Aug 2014 #2

That was rich and sad at the same time. Thank you for sharing. lonestarnot Aug 2014 #5

That is a wonderful video. A treasure. madfloridian Aug 2014 #9

Thank you BrotherIvan Aug 2014 #11

unconditional koko love hopemountain Aug 2014 #13

I'm so glad that he got to do that. dawg Aug 2014 #66

I agree, dawg, I'm happy Robin got to do it as well. Uncle Joe Aug 2014 #67

And they only met once? lonestarnot Aug 2014 #3

I believe it was more than once Fearless Aug 2014 #4

I wonder which of his movies she watched. lonestarnot Aug 2014 #6

Cool question. nt littlemissmartypants Aug 2014 #8

I learned the answer to that on CNN this morning! pinboy3niner Aug 2014 #30

I challenge anyone to watch 'Awakenings' all the way to the end Guy Whitey Corngood Aug 2014 #60

If in fact she really understood, then it was unnecessarily cruel tblue37 Aug 2014 #10

I trust that the expert primatologists take good care of Koko Fearless Aug 2014 #12

If she is mourning someone who is part of her life in a real sense, tblue37 Aug 2014 #14

So none of us should have been told either? Live and Learn Aug 2014 #16

Nonsense. KoKo understands quite a lot--but tblue37 Aug 2014 #17

I don't think you can prompt anyone to feel sad about something that has Live and Learn Aug 2014 #19

Not so. Small children are easily prompted to be sad without understanding tblue37 Aug 2014 #21

Then, we have had different experiences with small children and animals. Live and Learn Aug 2014 #23

No, they respond to the adult's expression of emotion about the death, not to the death itself. tblue37 Aug 2014 #24

LOL We have had seriously different experiences. Live and Learn Aug 2014 #25

It sounded like... TDale313 Aug 2014 #15

That was my first thought too. There was no reason to tell her, no point in it. cui bono Aug 2014 #20

Please. It is best to be told right away. Allow her to grieve. alphafemale Aug 2014 #26

KoKo happened to be present when they first heard the news magical thyme Aug 2014 #28

I thought the same thing. dilby Aug 2014 #46

she was likely reacted to the humans being sad Adenoid_Hynkel Aug 2014 #18

we dont really know MFM008 Aug 2014 #22

Koko understands a lot. She expresses herself a lot too. Autumn Aug 2014 #48

Koko understands, she cried and had grief over the death of her very much loved cat Sunlei Aug 2014 #27

This is interesting and important . . . the interaction Damansarajaya Aug 2014 #29

How long ago did you study linguistics? BlindTiresias Aug 2014 #31

Hehe, bs. nt Damansarajaya Aug 2014 #32

?? BlindTiresias Aug 2014 #33

"He who proposes, must prove." Damansarajaya Aug 2014 #34

On the other hand, by Chomsky's own standard we are not so unique. BlindTiresias Aug 2014 #35

Actually, I was wrong. This isn't interesting. Damansarajaya Aug 2014 #37

Kind of misrepresenting the paper BlindTiresias Aug 2014 #39

If they possessed it (ability to understand syntax), they would use it. Damansarajaya Aug 2014 #40

This would also be language. Uncle Joe Aug 2014 #36

That's not the way linguists define language. Damansarajaya Aug 2014 #38

Perhaps, but the dictionary defines language that way. Uncle Joe Aug 2014 #41

Yes, and when my dog stands next to the door and whines, I know she Damansarajaya Aug 2014 #42

Because your dog trained you to understand that, not he other way around. Uncle Joe Aug 2014 #43

Whines louder and paws the door. Damansarajaya Aug 2014 #44

Whining louder, pawing the door and barking to get your attention is putting "emphasis" Uncle Joe Aug 2014 #45

The fact that it's equally understandable to Damansarajaya Aug 2014 #47

It is the language of animals, humans are animals, thus it crosses species lines, furthermore Uncle Joe Aug 2014 #49

Well, no, it doesn't. Damansarajaya Aug 2014 #53

No matter which progression it comes in, a different method of animal language is used to get Uncle Joe Aug 2014 #56

I've exhausted all the arguments I can think of. Damansarajaya Aug 2014 #58

The difference being you're using a very narrow definition of the world "language" Uncle Joe Aug 2014 #59

I'm using the "narrow definition" of people who spend Damansarajaya Aug 2014 #61

Then you and they are using a very narrow definition of the word language, I'm using the dictionary Uncle Joe Aug 2014 #64

Actually, dogs have to be trained to respond to human voice commands. Damansarajaya Aug 2014 #62

I will bet if you yell at another person in a hateful voice "I love you" they Uncle Joe Aug 2014 #65

Not everyone understands sign language so it's normal someone would Autumn Aug 2014 #50

Irrelevant. It's not the sign language that's the problem. Damansarajaya Aug 2014 #54

For every wonderful story I read, a number will, more often than not piss on it. LanternWaste Aug 2014 #51

True, all of it catrose Aug 2014 #55

Poor Koko. :( ladyVet Aug 2014 #52

oh my goodness. in tears here. niyad Aug 2014 #57

Kindred spirits. AtomicKitten Aug 2014 #63