That is by no means unique to humans. I agree with CC that our normal perspective is that humans are “endowed” with language skills because we do have Shakespeare and Stephen Fry and Einstein.
But consider that what we talk about in our language is an expression of another, more subtle language of mathematics that evolution and natural selection use for communication, from single celled organisms to Shakespeare at various evolutionary stages of consciousness and complexity of data processing.
For instance, why does a fly have to trigger two cilia in a Venus Flytrap before it triggers an “action response” and the closing of its leaves via hydraulic power.
If it took only one disturbance, then any inanimate object that might land inside the trap would trigger the closing and waste valuable energy.
Disturbing two or more cilia “means” movement and movement means “living food”.
The plant doesn’t know this, but still has an active and complex triggering mechanism. What would it take to become aware of its own movements?
https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Plants-and-Fungi/Venus-Flytrap
The Venus flytrap is a flowering plant best known for its carnivorous eating habits. The “trap” is made of two hinged lobes at the end of each leaf. On the inner surfaces of the lobes are hair-like projections called trichomes that cause the lobes to snap shut when prey comes in contact with them.
This type of movement is called thigmonasty—a nondirectional plant response to being touched. To prevent the plant from wasting energy if prey isn’t actually there, the trap will only shut when the trichomes are touched multiple times. The hinged traps are edged with small bristles that interlock when the trap shuts to ensure the prey can’t squirm out.
There are other carnivorous plants in the wild, but the Venus flytrap is one of the very few that exhibits motion to actively trap its prey.
This is why microtubules are responsible for triggering and transporting “action potentials” and IMO that is a simple form of thought used for survival.
there are as many of these survival techniques that involve “cognition” and “response” as there are living things on earth, indeed from bacteria too Shakespeare.