animals and language

Resources on Animals and Language Communicating with Apes Talking with Chimps A fascinating general discussion from The Primates Home Page, and an excellent place to begin for those interested in gathering information on the ability of chimpanzees to speak. Primate Use of Language A fascinating site created by Lauren Kosseff, who believes that knowledge of language acquisition in primates may help us understand how language developed in early humans. Information about Vicky, the Chimpanzee Most students will enjoy watching Keith Hayes' five videotaped segments in which Vicky laughs, says "mama", "papa" and "cup", makes consonant sounds, and cries when she is left alone. The Gorilla Foundation Information about Koko, including videos and links to free educational materials supplied by the Gorilla Foundation An obituary for Nim Chimpsky A very moving obituary for Nim Chimpsky who lived from 1973 until 2000. It seems clear that he was deeply loved by those who knew him. Information about Kanzi In this New York Times article ("Chimp Talk Debate: Is It Really Language?") George Johnson writes about the communication skills of Bonobo chimpanzees, and announces the book, "Apes, Language and the Human Mind: Philosophical Primatology" (Routledge), written by Dr. Sue Savage-Rumbaugh and her co-authors, Dr. Stuart Shanker (a philosopher at York University in Toronto) and Dr. Talbot Taylor (a linguist at the College of William and Mary in Virginia). These research scientists believe that the feats of the chimps at the Language Research Center are so impressive that scientists must now re-evaluate some of their most basic ideas about the nature of language. Comments and concerns over the Povinelli Project Roger Fouts' letter about the condition of the apes under observation The Language of Bees Dances with Bees This is part of Nova Online's site Tales from the HIVE. A very informative page. A Study of the Language of Bees For his discovery of "harvest dancing" Karl von Frisch (1886-1982), along with Nikolaas Tinbergen and Konrad Lorenz, received the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine in 1973. Exam Answer on Animal Language Primarily a resource for teachers, this workshop prepared by Becs Hursey of the PGCE Social Science group at the University of Leicester provides good group exercises that Marine Mammal Vocalization Marine Mammal Vocalizations: language or behavior? A very informative article on marine mammals' sounds by Kimberly Amaral. Listen to the clicks and whistles of dolphins, and be sure to click on Marine Mammals' Greatest Hits to hear over one hundred species of marine mammals. Beluga Calls Students will enjoy hearing the sounds produced by beluga whales in this site on the White Sea beluga. Ode to Dolphins Students and teachers will be fascinated by Jim Nollman's *Jam Between an electric guitarist and at least 300 Pacific white-sided dolphins.* This recording was made through an underwater sound system in Queen Charlotte Strait off the northern tip of Vancouver Island. Dr. Doolittle *Project Gutenberg Etext of Voyages of Doctor Dolittle* by Lofting Even students who have already read the adventures of Doctor Doolittle will enjoy Project Gutenberg's Etext of this work by Hugh Lofting. We believe it is a great work of literature that will add meaning to a unit on language. A "must" read for students. Animal Sounds Guide to Animal Sounds on the Net A "must" site for all interested in animal communication. The "Quick index" includes links to very important information and recordings of birds, mammals, frogs and toads, crocodiles, lizards and snakes, fish and insects. There is also a listing of a dozen links to general sites for animal sounds. The author has clearly spent an enormous amount of time preparing and maintaining this Guide. Animal Sounds Library This is the SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Animal Information Database on almost forty different animals. Press "listen" to hear an animal sound, and click on an animal name to learn more about that animal. Students will learn a lot while having a great deal of fun. Naturesongs.com The purpose of Doug Von Gausig's extraordinary Web site is to "provide samples of various natural sounds, promote nature recording and archiving, and provide a library of sounds that people can refer to when they hear something new." His pages on North American Bird Sounds, Costa Rican Bird and Animal Sounds, Other Animal Sounds (not people, birds, or insects), and Insect Sounds should be of particular interest to our students for this unit. Sounds of the World's Animals While animals make similar sounds all over the world, Cathy Ball tells us how these sounds are expressed by thirty seven kinds of animals in three dozen different languages. Her site is fascinating. Animal Sounds This crossword puzzle (for JavaScript-enabled Browsers) created by Vera Mello comes from the site Crossword Puzzles for ESL Students*. Students enter letters that describe how the animals in the puzzle make sounds. There are buttons students can click to check their answers, and if they are stuck, they can press a "hint" button. An excellent way to learn about animal sounds. updated February 21 2004*

Resources on Animals and Language

Communicating with Apes

Talking with Chimps
A fascinating general discussion from The Primates Home Page, and an excellent place to begin for those interested in gathering information on the ability of chimpanzees to speak.
Primate Use of Language
A fascinating site created by Lauren Kosseff, who believes that knowledge of language acquisition in primates may help us understand how language developed in early humans.
Information about Vicky, the Chimpanzee
Most students will enjoy watching Keith Hayes' five videotaped segments in which Vicky laughs, says "mama", "papa" and "cup", makes consonant sounds, and cries when she is left alone.
The Gorilla Foundation
Information about Koko, including videos and links to free educational materials supplied by the Gorilla Foundation
An obituary for Nim Chimpsky
A very moving obituary for Nim Chimpsky who lived from 1973 until 2000. It seems clear that he was deeply loved by those who knew him.
Information about Kanzi
In this New York Times article ("Chimp Talk Debate: Is It Really Language?") George Johnson writes about the communication skills of Bonobo chimpanzees, and announces the book, "Apes, Language and the Human Mind: Philosophical Primatology" (Routledge), written by Dr. Sue Savage-Rumbaugh and her co-authors, Dr. Stuart Shanker (a philosopher at York University in Toronto) and Dr. Talbot Taylor (a linguist at the College of William and Mary in Virginia). These research scientists believe that the feats of the chimps at the Language Research Center are so impressive that scientists must now re-evaluate some of their most basic ideas about the nature of language.
Comments and concerns over the Povinelli Project
Roger Fouts' letter about the condition of the apes under observation

The Language of Bees

Dances with Bees
This is part of Nova Online's site Tales from the HIVE. A very informative page.
A Study of the Language of Bees
For his discovery of "harvest dancing" Karl von Frisch (1886-1982), along with Nikolaas Tinbergen and Konrad Lorenz, received the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine in 1973.
Exam Answer on Animal Language
Primarily a resource for teachers, this workshop prepared by Becs Hursey of the PGCE Social Science group at the University of Leicester provides good group exercises that

Marine Mammal Vocalization

Marine Mammal Vocalizations: language or behavior?
A very informative article on marine mammals' sounds by Kimberly Amaral. Listen to the clicks and whistles of dolphins, and be sure to click on Marine Mammals' Greatest Hits to hear over one hundred species of marine mammals.
Beluga Calls
Students will enjoy hearing the sounds produced by beluga whales in this site on the White Sea beluga.
Ode to Dolphins
Students and teachers will be fascinated by Jim Nollman's Jam Between an electric guitarist and at least 300 Pacific white-sided dolphins. This recording was made through an underwater sound system in Queen Charlotte Strait off the northern tip of Vancouver Island.

Dr. Doolittle

Project Gutenberg Etext of Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Lofting
Even students who have already read the adventures of Doctor Doolittle will enjoy Project Gutenberg's Etext of this work by Hugh Lofting. We believe it is a great work of literature that will add meaning to a unit on language. A "must" read for students.

Animal Sounds

Guide to Animal Sounds on the Net
A "must" site for all interested in animal communication. The "Quick index" includes links to very important information and recordings of birds, mammals, frogs and toads, crocodiles, lizards and snakes, fish and insects. There is also a listing of a dozen links to general sites for animal sounds. The author has clearly spent an enormous amount of time preparing and maintaining this Guide.
Animal Sounds Library
This is the SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Animal Information Database on almost forty different animals. Press "listen" to hear an animal sound, and click on an animal name to learn more about that animal. Students will learn a lot while having a great deal of fun.
Naturesongs.com
The purpose of Doug Von Gausig's extraordinary Web site is to "provide samples of various natural sounds, promote nature recording and archiving, and provide a library of sounds that people can refer to when they hear something new." His pages on North American Bird Sounds, Costa Rican Bird and Animal Sounds, Other Animal Sounds (not people, birds, or insects), and Insect Sounds should be of particular interest to our students for this unit.
Sounds of the World's Animals
While animals make similar sounds all over the world, Cathy Ball tells us how these sounds are expressed by thirty seven kinds of animals in three dozen different languages. Her site is fascinating.
Animal Sounds
This crossword puzzle (for JavaScript-enabled Browsers) created by Vera Mello comes from the site Crossword Puzzles for ESL Students. Students enter letters that describe how the animals in the puzzle make sounds. There are buttons students can click to check their answers, and if they are stuck, they can press a "hint" button. An excellent way to learn about animal sounds.

updated February 21 2004