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Two mathematically defined expressive language structures in humans and chimpanzees

R Langs¹, A F Badalamenti, S Savage-Rumbaugh

¹Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, N.Y., USA.

Behavioral Science

|April 1, 1996

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers discovered two mathematical structures in human and chimpanzee language. These findings reveal deep, natural, and unlearned expressive language capabilities in apes comparable to humans.

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Area of Science:

Linguistics
Cognitive Science
Mathematical Biology

Background:

Human language exhibits complex structures, but the evolutionary origins and innate properties of these structures remain debated.
Comparative studies between humans and non-human primates offer insights into the evolution of communication.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify and mathematically characterize fundamental expressive language structures in humans and chimpanzees.
To investigate the natural, unlearned basis of these language structures.

Main Methods:

Analysis of word/symbol invocation patterns using waiting time measurements to identify Poisson processes.
Calculation of cumulative informational complexity (entropy) in word usage to reveal logarithmic functions.
Comparative analysis of mathematical structures across individuals and species, including human poets.

Main Results:

Two distinct mathematical structures were identified in expressive language: a Poisson process for word invocation and a logarithmic function for informational complexity.
Individual and species-specific variations in adherence to these mathematical laws were observed.
Ape language structures showed mathematical similarities to those of human poets, such as Shakespeare.

Conclusions:

Apes possess deep, natural, and unlearned expressive language structures comparable to humans.
These findings suggest a shared evolutionary basis for complex expressive language in humans and great apes.
Mathematical analysis provides a powerful tool for understanding the fundamental principles of language across species.