The Birds, the Bees (and the Monkeys): The Language of Animals

The debate about whether or not language is unique to humans continues to this day. In this course we will examine this debate by examining the communication of non-human animals, from bees and birds to chimps and apes. While the capacity of animals to communicate is an interesting topic in itself, the research also has significant implications for our understanding of animal intelligence and of language acquisition and development in typically developing children as well as in those with disabilities.

Readings:

Several articles and research papers will be provided to the class along with a list of references for further reading.

Jay Kuder holds a PhD in Applied Psycholinguistics from Boston University. While his primary area of teaching and research has been on the language and communication abilities and challenges of individuals with disabilities, he has long followed the animal research literature and has written several papers on the topic.