Formal monkey linguistics

摘要: We argue that rich data gathered in experimental primatology the last 40 years can benefit from analytical methods used contemporary linguistics. Focusing on syntactic and especially semantic side, we suggest these could help clarify five questions: (i) what morphology syntax, if any, do monkey calls have? (ii) is ‘lexical meaning’ of individual calls? (iii) how are meanings combined? (iv) or call sequences compete with each other when several appropriate a given situation? (v) did form meaning evolve? address questions case studies pertaining to cercopithecines (Putty-nosed monkeys, Blue Campbell’s monkeys), colobinae (Guereza monkeys King Colobus New World (Titi monkeys). The mostly involves simple calls, but at least one (Campbell’s -oo) find root-suffix structure, possibly compositional semantics. syntax all clear cases finite-state. With respect meaning, nearly concatenation be analyzed as conjunction. But key question concerns division labor between semantics, pragmatics environmental context (‘world’ knowledge change). An apparent dialectal variation semantics krak) arguably away posits sufficiently powerful mechanisms competition among akin scalar implicatures. non-compositionality pyow-hack sequences) further pragmatic principle ‘urgency’, whereby threat-related must come early (another potential – snort-roar might justify assigning non-compositional complex results tentative). Finally, Titi which two re-arranged ways so reflect information about both predator identity location argued not involve syntax/semantics interface, rather fine-grained interaction context. evolution, remarkable preservation function over millions should make it possible lay groundwork for an evolutionary linguistics, illustrate cercopithecine booms, comparative analysis Putty-nosed repertoires. Throughout, aim compare theories than fully adjudicate them, our claims correspondingly modest. hope formal linguistics combining techniques (from does follow under study share non-trivial properties, let alone history, human language).