Chapter 1

Review of terms and concepts: the nature of communication

1. Communication is behavior that affects the behavior of others by the transmission
of information.
2. The consequence of communication is change.
3. Language is one form of communication.
4. Language is a code made up of a lexicon (words), grammar (rules to combine
sounds, words, sentences, etc.).
5. All codes have rules.
6. A grammar refers to the rules for combining various types of linguistic elements.
There are also rules for combining units of sound. The study of these rules is called
Grammar. Morphology deals with how words are constructed. How these words are
combined into larger units is called syntax. And the study of meaning is called
semantic.
7. Most of the rules of a language are known subconsciously.
8. A person’s internalized knowledge of a language’s grammar and lexicon is called
linguistic competence.
9. The way we actually speak is called our linguistic performance.
10. Language resides in the brain.
11. The three ways in which humans can communicate linguistically are through
speaking, writing and sign language.
12. Language is not dependent on speaking or hearing.
13. Nonverbal communication appears to be like a “dance” that includes spatial
arrangement, physical appearance, facial expressions, and touching behavior, which
appear to be coordinated. This “dance” involves synchrony.
14. Bees do not learn any aspects of their “dance.” This statement is False (true or false).
15. Bees communicate the direction, distance and quality of a food source to members
of their hive through elaborate dances.
16. In addition to the visual channel of communication, bees use the olfactory channel of
communication by leaving pheromones at the source of the food supply.
17. Multiple channels of information or multiple messages over the same channel of
communication that indicate the same information are called redundancy.
18. Bird calls, as compared to bird songs, are generally shorter and can serve multiple
functions. Songs, on the other hand, are longer and limited purposed.
19. Bird songs of different species are often the same or similar. This statement is False
(true or false).
20. Language is impressive for its broad in scope.
21. The ability to coin new words is called openness, and the related ability to create new
combinations of words (sentences) and to understand sentences that you have never
heard before is called productivity.
22. The number of messages that humans can generate by using language is potentially
infinite. This is not (is or is not) true of most nonhuman communication systems.
23. One word is independent of another. Therefore, words are discrete units.
24. The units of language are arbitrary in that they have no direct relationship to what
they refer to.
25. The ability to say false or fictional things is called prevarication.
26. The fact that most nonhuman communication is initiated by something that occurs in
the environment led to the characterization of nonhuman communication as being
primarily stimulus-bound whereas most human communication is non-stimulus-
bound
27. Everyone believes that apes have really learned to use a human linguistic system in
the same way that humans use language. This statement is False (true or false).
28. Herbert S. Terrace is an ape-language researcher mentioned in the text who does not
believe that the apes are really learning language.
29. Some of the criticisms of the conclusion that apes are communicating linguistically
(in the narrow sense as described in Box 1.1) are lack of true lexicon and grammar,
clever-hans effect and stimulus-response manner.
30. Most ape-language researchers believe that their critics have unfairly assessed them.
This statement is True (true or false)
31. The area of the brain that is involved in the production of speech is called Broca's
area, whereas the area of the brain that is involved with the comprehension of speech
is called Waernicke's area.
32. In general, the left (right or left) hemisphere of the brain (houses) the main language
processing areas.
33. Language may not be an all-or-nothing phenomenon. What are some evolutionary
explanations for this statement?
End-of-chapter exercises
1. What are some of the functions of communication?

These functions of communication include requesting, getting attention, refusing,

commenting, giving information, seeking information, expressing feelings, making a choice,
giving direction, participating in social routines, warning, influencing or persuading, and
motivating or encouraging.

2. What elements do all communicative systems have in common?

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3. What is the difference between linguistic competence and linguistic performance?

Linguistic competence refers to a person's underlying knowledge of the rules and

structure of a language, including grammar and vocabulary. It represents an individual's
ability to generate and understand sentences, even if they have never encountered them
before. In contrast, linguistic performance is the actual use of language in everyday
situations, including speaking, writing, and comprehension. Performance is influenced by
external factors such as memory limits, fatigue, or distractions, which can lead to deviations
from the idealized rules of language. Thus, while competence reflects internal knowledge,
performance shows how that knowledge is applied in real-life communication.

4. In general, what do the terms lexicon and grammar mean?

The lexicon refers to the entire set of words in a language and their meanings, much like a
mental dictionary that speakers use to communicate. Grammar, on the other hand, is the
system of rules that dictates how words are structured and combined into sentences,
ensuring they are meaningful and coherent. In essence, the lexicon focuses on vocabulary,
while grammar provides the rules for using that vocabulary correctly in speech and
writing.
5. What are three main ways in which humans can communicate linguistically?
The three basic ways of delivering a message linguistically are speech, writing, and sign
language