Final answer:
Syntax is the component of language that distinguishes human language abilities from animal language abilities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The component of language that most clearly distinguishes human language abilities from animal language abilities is syntax.
Syntax refers to the rules and structure of how words are arranged to form meaningful sentences. It encompasses the order of words, word order patterns, and the hierarchical relationship between different parts of a sentence or phrase.
Unlike animal communication systems, human languages have complex and flexible syntactic systems that allow for the formation of an infinite number of grammatically correct sentences.
Learn more about Syntax in human language and its distinction from animal language abilities