Dogs Cannot Understand Human Language, Or Can They?

Author: Kelly Marshall

It has been noticed that well trained dogs easily distinguish many different words. Some dog owners swear that their dog understands the meaning of every word they say. While this is not impossible, it certain seems highly improbably that dogs would understand the meaning of human words.

There is a difference between identifying a word with a particular action and understand the meaning of the word. Training involves teaching the dog to react in a particular manner when given a particular command.

Does the dog actually understand the meaning of the words 'sit-stay' or does he comply merely because he has been taught to react in a particular manner when these words are spoken?

A command given over the intercom will not have the same effect as a command given in person. The dog often relies on contextual cues like our body language to understand the command. A faceless and nameless voice giving instructions is not likely to be obeyed.

There is a huge difference in the way we use language as compared to animals. Humans use language not just to fulfill an objective but just because it attracts the attention of another human being.

A baby points to a ball and calls it a ball not just because it wants the ball. It may do so because this helps the baby get the attention of others.

On the other hand, animals, even the language trained chimpanzees, never progress beyond using language to achieve an object.

A chimpanzee which has been taught to create sentences using computer symbols or sign languages focuses on obtaining food, toys and attention using the language. It does not learn to use language as an end in itself. Language always remains the means to an end.

There is no evidence that they identify that the symbols stand for concepts. For them, the symbols are merely means to an end. On the other hand, humans identify the symbols and their underlying concepts and also understand that they are interrelated.

Dogs respond to their name not because they are aware that they have a name. They respond merely because they understand that we humans expect them to react when we utter what we call their 'name'/

However, dogs still have the capacity to surprise us all with their ability to distinguish different words. Russian speech scientists have concluded that dogs are capable of identifying the distinction between 'a' and 'i' even when attempts were made to confuse them.

The funny thing is that dogs do not identify variation of consonants. Use the command 'fly clown' instead of 'lie down' and your dog will obey. However, they are capable of distinguishing between vowels even when they do not utter vowels themselves.

A generic explanation could be the fact that mammalian ears have been in existence for more than tens of millions of years. On the other hand, human speech is a recent development. It is just 100,000 years old. Only humans have the physical and mental equipment to speak.