Half article day; two article projects likely cancelled

Today I have had half an article writing day, with a little preparation done for my chapter "Neurosemiotics across species". I also realized that two year-old article projects (with data collection dating back some five years), "Proto-language in wolves" and "Synchronicity in human perception of animals", will likely not materialize, for one thing due to a poorly planned research design during data collection.

Planning of two wolf-themed articles

Today I took part in a Skype call with a colleague (should have been two) to plan for two belated wolf-themed articles we are co-writing based on video material from Wolf Park and our own field work with video-recorded interviews in Norway.

Page reference for "Proto-language in wolves" abstract

Our paper "Proto-language in wolves" appears on pp. 42-43 on the printed abstract book of the 3rd International conference in code biology.

"Proto-Language in wolves" paper presented in Urbino at Codebiology 3

I have just presented my paper ”Proto-language in wolves” at the 3rd International Conference in Code Biology (Urbino, Italy, May 25-27th 2016). Some 20-25 people were present.

Work meeting on wolf communicative acts

Today I met with my collaborator Paul Thibault at University of Agder to continue our work on two joint articles. We spent the time discussing the article formerly referred to as the "Proto-language in wolves" article (though the focus is changing somewhat).

Work on three wolf-related articles

Today I met with colleague Paul Thibault to commence work on two articles related to field work on human perceptions of wolves and related animals, and one article on proto-language in wolves.

"Proto-language in wolves" accepted for presentation in Urbino

Today I was notified that the paper "Proto-language in wolves", which presents joint work with Paul Thibault, with the assistance of Laura Kiiroja, has been accepted for presentation at the Third International Conference in Code Biology (Urbino, Italy 24-28 May, 2016). 

Abstract "Proto-language in wolves" submitted to Code Biology 3 (Urbino)

I have today submitted the abstract "Proto-language in wolves" (see previous posts), which presents joint work with Paul Thibault, with the assistance of Laura Kiiroja, for the Third International Conference in Code Biology (Urbino 24-28 May, 2016). 

See also:

"Proto-language in wolves" talk cancelled

"Proto-language in wolves" talk cancelled

My talk, along with Paul Thibault, "Proto-language in wolves", at the conference "Animals in the Anthropocene: Human–animal relations in a changing semiosphere", will have to be cancelled, since he is ill and I became a father two days ago.

Two papers accepted for presentation at "Animals in the Anthropocene" conference

A week ago I was formally informed that two abstracts I am co-author of have been accepted as basis for oral presentation at the September 17-19 University of Stavanger conference "Animals in the Anthropocene: Human-animal relations in a changing semiosphere". The two abstracts, both of which are co-authored with Paul Thibault, are titled "Proto-language in wolves" and "Human Perceptions of Wolves and other Animals in Contemporary Norway" respectively.

I am the chair of the Local organising committee of the conference and have been coordinating the work of the Scientific advisory committee, but have of course not taken part in the evaluation of these two abstracts.

Abstract for "Animals in the Anthropocene" conference: "Proto-language in wolves"

On Friday this week I took part in composing and submitting the abstract below to the September 17-19th conference "Animals in the Anthropocene: Human-animal relations in a changing semiosphere".

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Proto-language in wolves

Morten Tønnessen (University of Stavanger) and Paul Thibault (University of Agder)

Like several other animals (and human infants), wolves have proto-language. In human development, proto-language precedes and is the foundation of the child’s development of the adult language. In animals, proto-language forms an important part of their communicative repertoire. In animals and humans alike, proto-language is characterized by the absence of grammar, and is directly tied to internal bodily states and/or to aspects of situations. In other words, actual use of proto-language is often action-related, for instance by directing attention.

In terms of the tripartite Umwelt model (Tønnessen, based on Uexküll), animal interjections can be associated with the conceptual aspect of Umwelt, where in the human case linguistic practices are placed. In animals too, the conceptual Umwelt is characterized by predicative reasoning, i.e. the habitual, mental attribution of specific features to someone or something. However, the mediated aspect of Umwelt also comes into play as far as mediation, e.g. anticipation and memory, enters the picture, as is typically the case with emotions, which are often at the basis of interjections.

We will analyze a data set involving captive wolves, aiming to identify animal interjections performed in a range of situation types. We will be looking for patterns and variation, e.g. between different groups (packs), with a view to determining the range of meanings and situations in which different interjections occur. We hypothesize that since interjections are very likely to some extent conventionalized, there will be systematic, observable variations grounded in the lived experience of social relations, whether intra–pack, or human–animal. Of interest here is the extent to which these calls or interjections are not merely expressive of internal states but serve communicative and thus social functions such as coordinating relations between individuals in the group. Our assumption is that interjections are often learned through experience, in a social setting. By comparing instances of interjections in wolves, we will also consider how the individual and social agency of wolves is enacted through these vocalizations, and how it contributes to individual and group development. This implies that socialization is always in part self-socialization (i.e. that socialization always involves individuation).

Acknowledgement: This work has been carried out thanks to the support of the research project Animals in Changing Environments: Cultural Mediation and Semiotic Analysis (EEA Norway Grants/Norway Financial Mechanism 2009–2014 under project contract no. EMP151).

Abstract: "Proto-language in wolves and dogs"

I have co-written an abstract, "Proto-language in wolves and dogs", with Paul Thibault, in connection with a prospective collection of chapters (upon invitation).