The Dutch linguist Leonie Cornips has been fascinated by how cows communicate. But can this be called “language”?

OR Leonie cornips She had long been delayed to take her coffee break. The cold air of autumn made the hot drink increasingly enticing. But Cornips was busy. She spent a few hours of her work with a small herd of cow. If he left, he would lose something that would take a long time to make up for. Cornips and the herd had found a common place that she called “the rhythm of the cow”.

Cornips, according to the BBC is Sociolingologist at Meertens Institute in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Scholars who cross this elaborate door of the Institute usually specialize in the study of Dutch language and culture. The researcher won her academic laurels in the 1990s and continues to study variations in pension between different dialects in the Netherlands. But besides that, Cornips’ work has more recently turned to something completely different, in the study of animal language, especially cows.

The ‘minutes’ limit of language

For years, Cornips has been spending her summer vacation on a farm. From the beginning he was impressed by the different personalities presented by the cows. Read the essay of a philosopher who was wondering why linguists never study animals. It influenced her deeply. Cornips thought that cows have the right intelligence to be an interesting subject of study. So she took advantage of her professional skills to understand the language of cows.

For years, people have been considered a higher species thanks to the concept of discourse that is of dual meaning. On the one hand it means logical and on the other, for which language is needed. Language, many linguists claim, is what makes us human. Animals can grunt, bark or chanting, but they have nothing to be calculated as a language.

Cornips uses the study of dairy cows to refute this idea. The work began by Jane Gundal with chimpanzees and Roger Payne with the recording of the whales in the 1960s in an attempt to show that people may not be as linguistically unique as we thought.

Many of Cornips’ colleagues were skeptical when they suggested that they apply the framework of linguistics to animals.

“The problem is that people have no clear idea of ​​what language is“She says. “When they talk about language, they always refer to what comes out of the mouth”

Cornips argues that the language is not only vocal, but multimodal and therefore involves body movements, visual contact and even the utilization of elements of the surrounding environment with the aim of communicating and understanding.

How are cows greet

Her research, which focuses on the rhythms and “rituals” of cow’s interactions, has revealed complex, individual communication practices. Cows have distinct vocal expressions and social behaviors that reflect their unique personalities, such as humans. For example, when they greet each other, the cows follow a specific ritual, with body movements and visual contact playing a central role. Cornips also points out how cows communicate through their environment. For example, they hit fences to signal feeding time.

Although some researchers, such as Michel Frenett, recognize the subtle shades of animal communication, avoid calling them “language”. Cornips, however, views these behaviors as proof of “linguistic practices”, arguing that cows have sophisticated communication skills that are necessary to navigate their complex relationships with farmers.

This research raises questions about how animals use language to form communities, transmit knowledge and organize their lives. Cornips’ work expands the boundaries of linguistics and gives a new perspective on how we understand the intelligence of animals, inviting us to see the pets with more empathy and respect.