I would argue that you understand the relationship between an alligator and a water buffalo immediately... Now your brain is turning it into language to come up

I would argue that you understand the relationship between an alligator and a water buffalo immediately... Now your brain is turning it into language to come up with words like "predator/prey" or "hidden danger" or whatever. But the abstract relationship did not require language before your brain started to reason about it. I think it's the other way around.