In the opinion of Jan Wawrzyniak, the attitude of humans towards other non-human persons is characterised by ethological falsehood. In relations with other creatures humans show species-oriented chauvinism. On the basis of a survey study concerning the colloquial understanding of the symptoms of “inhuman”, “bestial” or “animalistic” behaviour we may describe the functioning of these notions among average users of the Polish language. The paper aims at presenting the results of the survey concerning the colloquial functioning of the notions: inhuman, bestial and animalistic. Fifty people, students of the first-degree university course in Philology took part in the research, with the use of the because-test and free association method.