Posted: November 3, 2008 10:03 AM | Post #160263—in reply to #160223 |
Theo Bernards
Regular   Mother tongue: DutchPosts: 64 Joined: October 1, 2008 Location: France | RE: Language: communication or articulation Interesting point Jonathan, about language being a part of one's personality. Hadn't thought about it in that direction, but you have a point. I see the validity in such a realisation. Same goes for you, Maxi, that language is very much part of somebody's background, although I am not sure if interacting with animals is the same as communicating with them, but that could be a semantics issue on my behalf, not a stipulation or postulation . I think the key here is that I feel communication works in both directions and I haven't had any experiences with animals expressing their thoughts towards me but then again, I am not a farmer. Your story of the whales is very interesting, I must say that I wasn't aware of the musical properties of these mammals. Since my move to France the documentary channels have changed language into French, which is not my strongest point, and I have missed out on many documentaries which I used to watch in Netherlands ans in Ireland. Which documentary was that?
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Posted: November 3, 2008 10:13 AM | Post #160264—in reply to #160263 |
Jacek K. TC Master
Mother tongue: Polish Joined: February 18, 2003 Location: Poland | RE: Language: communication or articulation Originally written by Theo Bernards on November 3, 2008 4:03 PM I am not sure if interacting with animals is the same as communicating with them .... | Apparently, there might be some examples of the latter in the Interspecies communication thread. Here, I have voted for both...
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Posted: November 3, 2008 11:29 AM | Post #160278—in reply to #160264 |
Nanna Mercer
Expert    Mother tongues: English, DanishPosts: 9024 Joined: February 12, 2005 Location: Denmark | RE: Language: communication or articulation Originally written by Jacek Krankowski on November 3, 2008 4:13 PM
Originally written by Theo Bernards on November 3, 2008 4:03 PM I am not sure if interacting with animals is the same as communicating with them .... | Apparently, there might be some examples of the latter in the Interspecies communication thread. Here, I have voted for both... | Me too! Anyway, Aria (an Alsatian) communicates in various ways: she 'snaps' her upper and lower jaw very gently in my face: supposedly she's being affectionate. When I do the same to her, she repeats the movement while looking very calm and loving. Whenever I let her out in the garden, she does an interesting parameter check: she runs alongside the fence the whole way 'round. With raised hackles and a stiff 'beware' posture, she barks as loud as she can. When she has finished the round, she stops and looks at me. I reinforce this particular communication by loudly approving. Very good! She smacks her lips loudly when I get annoyed at her. Supposedly it's a way to pacify members of the tribe: calm down, Nanna! She does the smacking lip thing with her ears pulled way back when I get very wired about the mud she drags in from the by now always wet and muddy garden. To reassure her that she has managed to calm down the alpha, I step away from her and then smack my lips in return: she relaxes, and allows me to clean her huge paws without any fuss. Nanna
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Posted: November 4, 2008 7:42 AM | Post #160382—in reply to #160223 |
Dodo Kaipdodo TC Master
Expert    Mother tongue: LithuanianPosts: 1544 Joined: August 8, 2007 Location: Lithuania | RE: Language: communication or articulation
The primary purpose of language in general is making simple things intricate and making intricate things inextricable. But different languages exist so that translators might land jobs.
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Posted: November 4, 2008 9:13 AM | Post #160389—in reply to #160382 |
Liliana Boladz-Nekipelov
Expert       Mother tongues: Polish, EnglishPosts: 2907 Joined: September 13, 2008 Location: United States | RE: Language: communication or articulation I basically think that languages are like music: like the ancient rhythm of the drum talking to you in different forms. Liliana
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Posted: November 4, 2008 10:59 AM | Post #160403—in reply to #160389 |
Maxi Schwarz-Bastami
Expert        Mother tongues: English, GermanPosts: 7848 Joined: September 26, 2003 Location: Canada | RE: Language: communication or articulation
I basically think that languages are like music: like the ancient rhythm of the drum talking to you in different forms. Liliana | That's music to my ears. 
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Posted: November 4, 2008 12:03 PM | Post #160412—in reply to #160382 |
Jonathan Downie
Elite Veteran      Mother tongue: EnglishPosts: 845 Joined: March 9, 2008 Location: United Kingdom | RE: Language: communication or articulation
Originally written by Dodo Kaipdodo on November 4, 2008 7:42 AM
The primary purpose of language in general is making simple things intricate and making intricate things inextricable. But different languages exist so that translators might land jobs.
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I love the ending to that sentence. I do sometimes wonder whether God thought to Himself, after the Tower of Babel incident, "never mind, at least now they can give money to translators and interpreters."
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Posted: November 4, 2008 1:16 PM | Post #160415—in reply to #160412 |
Liliana Boladz-Nekipelov
Expert       Mother tongues: Polish, EnglishPosts: 2907 Joined: September 13, 2008 Location: United States | RE: Language: communication or articulation I think He thought it was Art.
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