animal communication - LingoDigest

The Descent of the Larynx: How a Quirky Evolutionary Shift Gave Humans the Power of Speech

6 min read

Human speech is a miracle of evolution, but it comes at a steep price. Our ability to form a rich variety of sounds is thanks to a descended larynx, a unique anatomical quirk that also makes us dangerously prone to choking. This post explores the high-stakes evolutionary gamble that gave our ancestors—and us—the power of language.

Linguistics Philosophy Psycholinguistics

The Grammar of the Bees: Do Animals Truly Have Language?

7 min read

We marvel at the honeybee’s ‘waggle dance’ and the intricate alarm calls of prairie dogs, but do these complex systems qualify as language? While animals are masters of communication, linguistics reveals a crucial distinction between conveying specific information and the boundless creativity of true language. This post explores that fascinating dividing line by comparing animal communication against the core properties of human language.