Phonosemantic Entropy Thresholds: A Comparative Study of Cross-Species Communication Limits

This study explores the theoretical and empirical boundaries of communication systems across species through the lens of phonosemantic entropy—a measure that integrates acoustic complexity, semantic compression, and symbolic recursion. While many species demonstrate sophisticated vocalizations, few cross the critical threshold required for abstract displacement, recursive structure, and semantically generalized language. We propose that human linguistic evolution occurred as a result of crossing a key phonosemantic entropy barrier, allowing for exponential increases in meaning density, narrative memory, and simulation-based cognition. By comparing human language to animal signaling, synthetic communication systems, and emergent AI protocols, we attempt to isolate the entropy-informational shift responsible for symbolic cognition. This work contributes to cross-disciplinary research spanning biosemiotics, cognitive science, linguistic evolution, and artificial communication design, offering a unified framework for understanding where meaning begins—and where it transforms.