phonology...unique??

[DPAT at CCIT.ARIZONA.EDU]

>>From T.Givon
>in language -- phonology and grammar -- exhibit enough unique characteristics
>to suggest that at least the mode of processing (if not the location) is
>rather unique and domain specific.
> Since the evolution of phonology and grammar are, most likely,
>the latest evolutionary additions to the array of capacities that combine in
>supporting human communication, finding them organized in such an "early"
>fashion should not be all that surprising.

This is very interesting...I can see how you might believe "phonology" to
be unique if you only look at us and other primates...and I can imagine
that the way humans arrive at things like syllabic templates is
accomplished in humans  by a human mechanism...but I think that something
like a syllabic template appears in other critters...songbirds at least but
there are some even more striking examples if you look at creatures with
flexible sound systems that learn to talk...like some parrots.
I look forward to more comments, Dianne Patterson.