Margins
Animal Languages book cover
Animal Languages
2016
First Published
3.77
Average Rating
217
Number of Pages

How animals speak to each other and to humans, from chimpanzees who learn sign language to dogs who parse the meaning of other dogs' growls. Is language what sets humans apart from other animals, as many have argued? Or do animals speak in their own languages, to each other and to us? In Animal Languages, Eva Meijer explores the latter possibility. Meijer tells us about Alex, the gray parrot who knew more than one hundred words, and Chaser, the border collie who had a talent for grammar. She introduces us to Washoe, the chimpanzee who grew up with humans and learned sign language; Kosik, the elephant who spoke to humans in human language and to his female elephant companion in elephant language; and Noc, the beluga whale who mimicked human speech. She tells us that dogs are able to interpret the meaning of other dogs' growls; that prairie dogs have alarm calls that offer informative details about intruders (specifying, among other things, size, color, and speed of approach); and that marmosets take turns in conversations and teach this skill to their offspring. But beyond all these interesting details, Meijer makes a more profound observation. Talking with animals forces us to challenge the hierarchy of humans and other animals, and suggests a new way of thinking about language. Animal Languages shows us that language is broader and richer than we imagined, and that meaningful expression does not require human words.

Avg Rating
3.77
Number of Ratings
685
5 STARS
23%
4 STARS
41%
3 STARS
27%
2 STARS
8%
1 STARS
1%
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Author

Eva Meijer
Eva Meijer
Author · 14 books

Born in 1980, Eva Meijer is an artist, writer, philosopher and singer-songwriter. She works in different media, ranging from performance art, music theatre, installations, video's, drawings and photographs to toys for pigs. Eva released four albums and two EP's, and she played concerts in The Netherlands, England and the US (NYC, Texas, California). More information and music can be found here. Her first novel Het schuwste dier (Prometheus) was published in 2011 and was nominated for the Academica Literatuurprijs, the Gouden Boekenuil and the Vrouw&Proza DebuutPrijs. Short stories and poems have been published in Dutch and Belgian literary magazines, such as De Revisor, Tirade and De Brakke Hond. Her second novel Dagpauwoog was published in November 2013. Eva is working on a PhD project in philosophy, titled 'Political Animal Voices', at the University of Amsterdam. She also has a weblog (in Dutch, but with drawings and photographs) and she plays many shows.

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