Elisa Fernández Fueyo (Royal Holloway/UCL, UK): What can baboons tell us about the evolution of language? A multi-modal approach to intentionality and flexibility in animal communication

Intentionality and flexibility have been claimed to be hallmarks of human language, but are also found in great ape gestural communication, leading to the hypothesis that some cognitive traits needed for human language evolved in the great ape lineage [1]. However, there is preliminary evidence of inten onality and flexibility in monkey gestures [2] and in other modali es of communica on [3]. These traits may thus be present in a broader range of systems, but the identification and coding of communicative signals is me-consuming, further preventing comprehensive wider investigation. Furthermore, studies outside great apes are mainly in captivity and use different definitions of intentionality and flexibility, impeding cross-species and cross-modality comparisons. As a result, understanding the origin of inten onal and flexible communica on is difficult with the available evidence [4]. This study takes a novel mul-modal approach by using machine learning tools to inves gate inten onality and flexibility of vocal and gestural communica on in wild chacma baboons (Papio ursinus). This species will be used as a model [5] to develop these techniques and understand whether some cogni ve traits needed for language evolu on emerged before the great ape lineage.   

Although this study is not explicitly framed within the field of philosophy of animal mind, it has implications for numerous topics of this field that will be explored. For example, one of the criteria for intentionality is whether the signaller takes into account the a emotional state of the recipient, this could suggest that baboons have the ability of perspective taking to some extent, which would inform us about their theory of mind abilities. This study also has implications for animal ethics, since it aims to ultimately address the ques on of ‘how similar are baboons to humans in their communication?’. A better understanding of the similarities between baboon and human minds could inform strategies to treat baboons, frequently considered and treated as pests, ethically.  

1. Pollick AS, De Waal FBM. 2007 Ape gestures and language evolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 104, 8184–8189. (doi:10.1073/pnas.0702624104) 

2. Moles S, Meguerditchian A, Bourjade M. 2019 Gestural communication in olive baboons (Papio anubis): repertoire and intentionality. Anim Cogn 23, 19–40. (doi:10.1007/s10071-019-01312-y) 

3. Graham KE, Wilke C, Lahiff NJ, Slocombe KE. 2019 Scratching beneath the surface: intentionality in great ape signal production. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 375, 20180403. (doi:10.1098/rstb.2018.0403) 

4. Townsend SW et al. 2017 Exorcising Grice’s ghost: an empirical approach to studying intentional communication in animals. Biological Reviews 92, 1427–1433. (doi:10.1111/brv.12289) 

5. Fagot J, Boë LJ, Berthomier F, Claidière N, Malassis R, Meguerditchian A, Rey A, Montant M. 2019 The baboon: a model for the study of language evolution. J Hum Evol 126, 39–50. (doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2018.10.006)