Republic of the Philippines

UNIVERSITY OF ANTIQUE
Sibalom, Antique
College of Teacher Education-Graduate Studies
1st Semester, AY 2019-2020

Course: LINGUISTICS 210 (Descriptive Linguistics)

Aileen Marie F. Pon-an

Reflection on a Video about Animal Language

Animal communication is any behavior on the part of one animal that has an effect on the

current or future behavior of another animal. Body language like some gesture and action is a

common way that animal communicates with others. Combined with other body language, in a

specific context, many gestures such as yawns, direction of vision, and so on all transmit

meaning. As with human beings, who may smile or hug or stand a particular way for multiple

reasons, many animals reuse gestures as well. Communication system varies among animals.

Some may use gestures and some may use a particular sound to inform others some message.

I have seen in the video clip that different animals use different gestures and sound to

communicate with one another. Crabs for example, the wave their claws at each other to sigal

that they are healthy and ready to meet. bees communicate with others by dancing. Bees dance

when they have found food source and many more examples.

Language in animals is commonly described as a communication tool which allows

animals to express their feelings and thoughts. It is important to notice that all the other animals

also communicate by using different structures of communication systems that are innate.

Animal communication lacks creativity, flexibility and is not as complex as human

communication.
 Although animals do not use sophisticated expressions and phrases to show their feelings

and simply cannot talk in a way that humans do, they use different structures of communication

systems that are innate. These systems usually involve distinct sounds, ranging from roars to

whines, gestures and signals, such as alarm calls. It is said that communication allows animals to

find food, avoid predators, mate as well as carry for their young.

This concludes that human and animal language are not entirely different. After all, we

are all animals.