To what extent are call combinations in chimpanzees comparable to syntax in humans?
Syntax is considered a key feature distinguishing human language from other non-human animal communication systems. However, evidence for combinatorial capacities in a wide variety of species, such as birds and monkeys, has challenged this assumption. Nevertheless, a contentious debate surrounding t...
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Société Francophone de Primatologie
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Revue de Primatologie |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/primatologie/16469 |
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| author | Maël Leroux |
| author_facet | Maël Leroux |
| author_sort | Maël Leroux |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Syntax is considered a key feature distinguishing human language from other non-human animal communication systems. However, evidence for combinatorial capacities in a wide variety of species, such as birds and monkeys, has challenged this assumption. Nevertheless, a contentious debate surrounding the evolutionary origins of syntax remains, specifically whether the combinatorial capacities displayed in animals merely illustrate a case of convergent evolution or whether it could also represent, within the primate lineage, a homologous trait to syntax in humans. In this piece, I review the literature on combinatorial signalling in our closest-living relative, the chimpanzee (Pan troglotytes), central to demonstrating a more ancient evolutionary account of syntax. Specifically, I detail the combinatorial structures highlighted in chimpanzees, the experimental evidence pointing toward the syntactic-like nature of these combinations, as well as the limitations the field needs to overcome to go a step further and address the question of the evolution of syntax more holistically. I discuss future directions building on exciting recent evidence for combinatorial flexibility in chimpanzees and the potential for learning. Finally, by proposing a compositional analysis to documented combinations of gestures with facial expressions, I argue that a promising avenue for the study of the evolution of syntax lies in the understanding of multimodal combinatorial signalling in our closest-living relatives and its ontogeny. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-84131d4b94f04e96837b45c9dbfab8b4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2077-3757 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Société Francophone de Primatologie |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Revue de Primatologie |
| spelling | doaj-art-84131d4b94f04e96837b45c9dbfab8b42025-01-30T10:01:40ZengSociété Francophone de PrimatologieRevue de Primatologie2077-37572023-12-011410.4000/primatologie.16469To what extent are call combinations in chimpanzees comparable to syntax in humans?Maël LerouxSyntax is considered a key feature distinguishing human language from other non-human animal communication systems. However, evidence for combinatorial capacities in a wide variety of species, such as birds and monkeys, has challenged this assumption. Nevertheless, a contentious debate surrounding the evolutionary origins of syntax remains, specifically whether the combinatorial capacities displayed in animals merely illustrate a case of convergent evolution or whether it could also represent, within the primate lineage, a homologous trait to syntax in humans. In this piece, I review the literature on combinatorial signalling in our closest-living relative, the chimpanzee (Pan troglotytes), central to demonstrating a more ancient evolutionary account of syntax. Specifically, I detail the combinatorial structures highlighted in chimpanzees, the experimental evidence pointing toward the syntactic-like nature of these combinations, as well as the limitations the field needs to overcome to go a step further and address the question of the evolution of syntax more holistically. I discuss future directions building on exciting recent evidence for combinatorial flexibility in chimpanzees and the potential for learning. Finally, by proposing a compositional analysis to documented combinations of gestures with facial expressions, I argue that a promising avenue for the study of the evolution of syntax lies in the understanding of multimodal combinatorial signalling in our closest-living relatives and its ontogeny.https://journals.openedition.org/primatologie/16469Pan troglodyteslanguageCompositionalitycombinatorialityevolution of syntax |
| spellingShingle | Maël Leroux To what extent are call combinations in chimpanzees comparable to syntax in humans? Revue de Primatologie Pan troglodytes language Compositionality combinatoriality evolution of syntax |
| title | To what extent are call combinations in chimpanzees comparable to syntax in humans? |
| title_full | To what extent are call combinations in chimpanzees comparable to syntax in humans? |
| title_fullStr | To what extent are call combinations in chimpanzees comparable to syntax in humans? |
| title_full_unstemmed | To what extent are call combinations in chimpanzees comparable to syntax in humans? |
| title_short | To what extent are call combinations in chimpanzees comparable to syntax in humans? |
| title_sort | to what extent are call combinations in chimpanzees comparable to syntax in humans |
| topic | Pan troglodytes language Compositionality combinatoriality evolution of syntax |
| url | https://journals.openedition.org/primatologie/16469 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT maelleroux towhatextentarecallcombinationsinchimpanzeescomparabletosyntaxinhumans |