Reimagining language: Towards a better understanding of language by including our interactions with non-humans

Marlou Rasenberg; Azeb Amha; Matt Coler; M. van Koppen; Emiel van Miltenburg; Lynn de Rijk; Wyke Stommel; Mark Dingemanse

Reimagining language: Towards a better understanding of language by including our interactions with non-humans

Marlou Rasenberg, Azeb Amha, Matt Coler, M. van Koppen, Emiel van Miltenburg, Lynn de Rijk, Wyke Stommel, Mark Dingemanse

Meertens Instituut - Variatielinguïstiek

Research output: Contribution to journal/periodical › Article › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

What is language and who can be said to have it? In this essay we consider this question in the context of interactions with non-humans, in particular: animals and computers. While perhaps an odd pairing at first glance, here we argue that these domains can offer contrasting perspectives through which we can explore and reimagine language. Human-animal interaction and human-computer interaction reveal the core and the limits of language: from examining the role of sequence and contingency in human-animal interaction, to unravelling the challenges of interactivity in today’s ‘smart’ speakers and language models. By bringing together disparate fields around foundational questions, we aim to push the boundaries of linguistic inquiry and uncover new insights into what language is and how it functions in diverse non-human-exclusive contexts.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	309-317
Journal	Linguistics in the Netherlands
Volume	40
Publication status	Published - 2023

Cite this

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abstract = "What is language and who can be said to have it? In this essay we consider this question in the context of interactions with non-humans, in particular: animals and computers. While perhaps an odd pairing at first glance, here we argue that these domains can offer contrasting perspectives through which we can explore and reimagine language. Human-animal interaction and human-computer interaction reveal the core and the limits of language: from examining the role of sequence and contingency in human-animal interaction, to unravelling the challenges of interactivity in today{\textquoteright}s {\textquoteleft}smart{\textquoteright} speakers and language models. By bringing together disparate fields around foundational questions, we aim to push the boundaries of linguistic inquiry and uncover new insights into what language is and how it functions in diverse non-human-exclusive contexts.",

author = "Marlou Rasenberg and Azeb Amha and Matt Coler and {van Koppen}, M. and {van Miltenburg}, Emiel and {de Rijk}, Lynn and Wyke Stommel and Mark Dingemanse",

year = "2023",

language = "English",

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pages = "309--317",

journal = "Linguistics in the Netherlands",

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AU - Rasenberg, Marlou

AU - Amha, Azeb

AU - Coler, Matt

AU - van Koppen, M.

AU - van Miltenburg, Emiel

AU - de Rijk, Lynn

AU - Stommel, Wyke

AU - Dingemanse, Mark

PY - 2023

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AB - What is language and who can be said to have it? In this essay we consider this question in the context of interactions with non-humans, in particular: animals and computers. While perhaps an odd pairing at first glance, here we argue that these domains can offer contrasting perspectives through which we can explore and reimagine language. Human-animal interaction and human-computer interaction reveal the core and the limits of language: from examining the role of sequence and contingency in human-animal interaction, to unravelling the challenges of interactivity in today’s ‘smart’ speakers and language models. By bringing together disparate fields around foundational questions, we aim to push the boundaries of linguistic inquiry and uncover new insights into what language is and how it functions in diverse non-human-exclusive contexts.

M3 - Article

SN - 0929-7332

VL - 40

SP - 309

EP - 317

JO - Linguistics in the Netherlands

JF - Linguistics in the Netherlands

ER -

Reimagining language: Towards a better understanding of language by including our interactions with non-humans

Abstract

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