Humanity has regarded itself as intellectually superior to other species for millennia, yet
human cognitive uniqueness remains poorly understood. Here, we evaluate candidate traits …

Language's intentional nature has been highlighted as a crucial feature distinguishing it
from other communication systems. Specifically, language is often thought to depend on …

Humans possess an extraordinary capacity for cultural production, from the arts and
language to science and technology. How did the human mind—and the uniquely human …

Language is an essential part of what makes us human. Where did it come from? How did it
develop into the complex system we know today? And what can an evolutionary perspective …

Chimpanzees' use of gesture was described in the first detailed field study [1, 2], and natural
use of specific gestures has been analyzed [3–5]. However, it was systematic work with …

The presence of divergent and independent research traditions in the gestural and vocal
domains of primate communication has resulted in major discrepancies in the definition and …

One standout feature of human language is our ability to reference external objects and
events with socially learned symbols, or words. Exploring the phylogenetic origins of this …

Detailed comparative studies have revealed many surface similarities between linguistic
communication and the communication of nonhumans. How should we interpret these …

Action-theoretic views of language posit that the recognition of others' intentions is key to
successful interpersonal communication. Yet, speakers do not always code their intentions …

The alarm calls of vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) constitute the classic textbook
example of semantic communication in nonhuman animals, as vervet monkeys give …