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A Critical Companion to Zoosemiotics: pp 65–119Cite as

Ethological Zoosemiotics

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Part of the book series: Biosemiotics ((BSEM,volume 5))

Abstract

Ethological zoosemiotics, as seen in Chapter 1, is the primary and the most classical field of inquiry for zoosemiotics, i.e., the one that actually deals with the semiosic processes occurring among animals. It was also mentioned that the field can be divided into an early stage (eEZ) and a modern one (mEZ). In its early phase, zoosemiotics was mostly conceived as an umbrella term for gathering different approaches on animal communication. And “communication” was still the key-word, as in this stage there was a clear emphasis on this specific process, rather than the broader semiosis. Classical ethology and the then very trendy behaviouristic schools, finally, provide the scientific framework for (and document the uncertain semiotic identity of) this type of EZ.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For a thorough description of vervet monkeys’ calls, see Cheney and Seyfarth (1990).

  2. 2.

    Not only, anyway. Language in non-human animals can be studied also in a purely ethological dimension, and that has been particularly recurrent in the field of avian communication: “there is ample justification for speaking of bird utterances as language” (Armstrong 1963: 27).

  3. 3.

    “Among other things, if Nagel was right, not only we could not understand a bat, but other humans either, since we could not interpret their personal perspective anyway. However, it seems that we do understand each other – at least sometimes, so how can Nagel be right?” (Cimatti 2001: personal communication, in Martinelli 2006a).

  4. 4.

    Semiotically speaking, to have a mind implies at least the capacity of (1) guiding one’s own behaviour from the “inside”, on the basis of projects not directly connected with what happens outside; and (2) elaborating and transforming such representations.

  5. 5.

    One may wonder why shiny feathers are a handicap. The answer is that a “shiny” bird is more likely to be located by predators, but – at the same time – it is the predator herself that soon recognises the prey as a fit one, thus very often renouncing to hunt her.

  6. 6.

    Half seriously, it could be said that the people listening to Von Karajan's version of Le sacre du printemps are satisfying an aesthetic wish; the latter makes them feel good; the fact of feeling good helps them to work well; if they work well then they are not fired; if they keep their job, they still make money; finally, if they have money, they can satisfy the primary need of hunger.

  7. 7.

    Fouts was interviewed by Dario Martinelli during the preparation of Martinelli (2002).

  8. 8.

    Some other species of the same genus erect cone-shaped maypoles around a tree, that may end up being higher than a human being. Pergolates are so skilfully built that their discoverer – the Italian naturalist Ottaviano Beccari, around the end of nineteenth century – at first thought he was dealing with dollhouses built by creative young girls.

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  1. Institute of Art Research Faculty of Arts, University of Helsinki, PL 35 (Vironkatu 1), 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Dario Martinelli

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Martinelli, D. (2010). Ethological Zoosemiotics. In: A Critical Companion to Zoosemiotics:. Biosemiotics, vol 5. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9249-6_2

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