Combinatorial capacities in primates

Zuberbühler, Klaus

doi:10.1016/j.cobeha.2018.03.015

Cited by 38 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…Given the structural diversity combinatoriality can take, we propose that a crude division of vocal structures into combinatoriality/phonology versus compositionality/syntax might be an over‐simplification trivializing the intriguing complexity of animal vocal structures (c.f. Zuberbühler ()). Ultimately, distinctions and subsequent comparisons of combinatorial mechanisms appear to be central to resolving outstanding questions including (a) whether we can reveal universal principles that generally drive combinatoriality and (b) whether different combinatorial mechanisms might be the result of variations in social and ecological conditions or cognitive capacities.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combinatoriality in the vocal systems of nonhuman animals

Engesser

Townsend

2019

WIRES Cognitive Science

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A key challenge in the field of human language evolution is the identification of the selective conditions that gave rise to language's generative nature. Comparative data on nonhuman animals provides a powerful tool to investigate similarities and differences among nonhuman and human communication systems and to reveal convergent evolutionary mechanisms. In this article, we provide an overview of the current evidence for combinatorial structures found in the vocal system of diverse species. We show that considerable structural diversity exits across and within species in the forms of combinatorial structures used. Based on this we suggest that a fine-grained classification and differentiation of combinatoriality is a useful approach permitting systematic comparisons across animals. Specifically, this will help to identify factors that might promote the emergence of combinatoriality and, crucially, whether differences in combinatorial mechanisms might be driven by variations in social and ecological conditions or cognitive capacities.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combinatoriality in the vocal systems of nonhuman animals

Engesser

Townsend

2019

WIRES Cognitive Science

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“…Communicative behaviors consist of sequences of elements, and the sequencing of such elements can be learned and can provide various types of information 1,3,[53][54][55] . In contrast to the learning of the acoustic structure of individual elements (e.g., syllables in birdsong), relatively little is known about the acquisition of sequences of acoustic elements, especially for animals with complex sequence structures that resemble those observed in human language (e.g., songbirds like the Bengalese finch).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Statistical learning for vocal sequence acquisition in a songbird

James

Sun

Wada

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Birdsong is a learned communicative behavior that consists of discrete acoustic elements ("syllables") that are sequenced in a controlled manner. While the learning of the acoustic structure of syllables has been extensively studied, relatively little is known about sequence learning in songbirds. Statistical learning could contribute to the acquisition of vocal sequences, and we investigated the nature and extent of sequence learning at various levels of song organization in the Bengalese finch, Lonchura striata var. domestica. We found that, under semi-natural conditions, pupils (sons) significantly reproduced the sequence statistics of their tutor's (father's) songs at multiple levels of organization (e.g., syllable repertoire, prevalence, and transitions). For example, the probability of syllable transitions at "branch points" (relatively complex sequences that are followed by multiple types of transitions) were significantly correlated between the songs of tutors and pupils. We confirmed the contribution of learning to sequence similarities between fathers and sons by experimentally tutoring juvenile Bengalese finches with the songs of unrelated tutors. We also discovered that the extent and fidelity of sequence similarities between tutors and pupils were significantly predicted by the prevalence of sequences in the tutor's song and that distinct types of sequence modifications (e.g., syllable additions or deletions) followed distinct patterns. Taken together, these data provide compelling support for the role of statistical learning in vocal production learning and identify factors that could modulate the extent of vocal sequence learning.www.nature.com/scientificreports www.nature.com/scientificreports/ syllables. Some studies using experimental tutoring have confirmed the developmental acquisition of vocal sequencing 27-31 , but most of such studies have been conducted on species that produce stereotyped, relatively simple sequences of syllables (e.g., white-crowned sparrows and zebra finches) 26 . Understanding sequence learning in songbird species that produce more complex and variable sequencing is important not only for comparative reasons but also because such species produce syntactic structures that more closely resemble the complexity of syntax in human language 14 .The Bengalese finch (Lonchura striata var. domestica) offers an excellent opportunity to study the acquisition of relatively complex vocal sequences 32 . The songs of individual Bengalese finches consist of a discrete, learned repertoire of syllables that are arranged both in highly stereotyped sequences ("motifs" or "chunks") and in sequences that vary from rendition to rendition ("branch points"; Fig. 1) 26,[33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40] . Previous studies have provided some insight into vocal sequence learning in Bengalese finches by comparing songs between tutors and pupils 41-43 ; for example, Yamashita et al. (2008) analyzed the distribution of three-syllable sequences across two points in an individual's song development and...

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“…In the study of language origins, comparative researchers have typically focused on these distinct cognitive building blocks and investigated their presence in the gestural, vocal or facial communicative acts of non‐human species. Here, we discuss cognitive mechanisms in gesture and vocalization which have been the focus of comparative studies in non‐human species and are thought to have played a major role in the evolution of language: intentionality, reference, iconicity, combinatoriality, turn‐taking, neural control and ontogenetic plasticity (Marler, Evans & Hauser, ; Liebal et al, ; Perniss & Vigliocco, ; Townsend et al, ; Zuberbühler, ). In particular, we ask whether each of these cognitive building blocks are found only in gestural communication, as claimed by proponents of the gestures‐first model of language origins (e.g.…”

Section: Cognitive Mechanisms Identified In Non‐human Gestures and Vomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Taken together, at present there is much clearer evidence for combinatorial capacities in animal vocalizations than there is for gestures. Whether human syntax evolved gradually from animal combinatoriality, or emerged more recently as a functional change from non‐linguistic operations is still subject to debate (Fitch, ; Zuberbühler, ).…”

Section: Cognitive Mechanisms Identified In Non‐human Gestures and Vomentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The ability to generate an infinite number of expressions with a novel meaning from a finite number of signal elements is another key feature of language (Hockett, 1960;Hauser et al, 2002;Fitch, 2010), and has received increasing attention by comparative researchers in recent years (for reviews see Townsend et al, 2018;Zuberbühler, 2018). Human speech is composed of discrete, mainly meaningless phonemes forming discrete meaningful words (phonology), which in turn are combined into more complex phrases or expressions (compositional syntax) (Hockett, 1960).…”

Section: (4) Combinatorialitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Multimodal communication and language origins: integrating gestures and vocalizations

et al. 2019

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The presence of divergent and independent research traditions in the gestural and vocal domains of primate communication has resulted in major discrepancies in the definition and operationalization of cognitive concepts. However, in recent years, accumulating evidence from behavioural and neurobiological research has shown that both human and non‐human primate communication is inherently multimodal. It is therefore timely to integrate the study of gestural and vocal communication. Herein, we review evidence demonstrating that there is no clear difference between primate gestures and vocalizations in the extent to which they show evidence for the presence of key language properties: intentionality, reference, iconicity and turn‐taking. We also find high overlap in the neurobiological mechanisms producing primate gestures and vocalizations, as well as in ontogenetic flexibility. These findings confirm that human language had multimodal origins. Nonetheless, we note that in great apes, gestures seem to fulfil a carrying (i.e. predominantly informative) role in close‐range communication, whereas the opposite holds for face‐to‐face interactions of humans. This suggests an evolutionary shift in the carrying role from the gestural to the vocal stream, and we explore this transition in the carrying modality. Finally, we suggest that future studies should focus on the links between complex communication, sociality and cooperative tendency to strengthen the study of language origins.

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Combinatorial capacities in primates

Cited by 38 publications

References 71 publications

Combinatoriality in the vocal systems of nonhuman animals

Combinatoriality in the vocal systems of nonhuman animals

Statistical learning for vocal sequence acquisition in a songbird

Multimodal communication and language origins: integrating gestures and vocalizations

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