Language out of Music: The Four Dimensions of Vocal Learning

Abstract

A growing consensus drawing on research in a wide variety of disciplines has, over the last fifteen years or so, argued the need to revisit Darwin's conjecture of 1871 that language may be descended from an existing, musical medium of communication that developed from animal calls. This paper seeks to examine, in an extension of Hockett's analysis of the design features required for linguistic communication, the nature of the acoustic information produced and perceived in human vocalisation, and to consider the anatomical and neural mechanisms on which these depend. An attempt is made to sketch an evolutionary chronology for key prerequisites of human orality. Cross-species comparisons are employed to illuminate the role of four acoustic variables (pitch, duration, amplitude and timbre), viewing the potential for human vocal productivity from the perspective of animal communication. Although humans are the only species to combine entrainment to pulse with attunement to precisely-tracked pitches, we also depend both for musical interaction and the production and perception of vowel sounds on precise and conscious control of the property of timbre. Drawing on, amongst others, Scherer's analyses of emotionally triggered sounds in a variety of species, and Fernald's presentation of the similarities of infant cries and adult production of infant-directed speech in a variety of cultures and languages, a case is made for the instinctive components of human communication being more music-like than language-like. In conclusion, historical and comparative data are employed to outline the adaptive and exaptive sequence by which human vocal communication evolved. The roles of selective pressures that conform to different adaptive models are compared⎯natural selection, sexual selection, group selection⎯leading to the proposal that all of these must have played their part at different stages in the process in a 'mosaic' model consistent with the development of other human traits.

Iconic Associations Between Vowel Acoustics and Musical Patterns, and the Musical Protolanguage Hypothesis

“…The iconic associations between vowel intrinsic duration and length of musical notes may shed some light on size-sound symbolism in general. Although "duration" of musical notes only metaphorically corresponds to "size" of notes, our data are in line with results by Knoeferle et al (2017) suggesting F1 and vowel duration are decisive factors in size-sound symbolism; F0 or Ohala (1984Ohala ( , 1994) "frequency code" hypothesis, according Japanese examples from Tsunoda (1985) cited in Bannan (2008) a i a? Me too?…”

Music intervals in speech: Psychological disposition modulates ratio precision among interlocutors’ nonlocal f0 production in real-time dyadic conversation

“…Therefore, it is possible that by obtaining a certain notion of the position of one's own sounds within the larger sound plot of an interaction, it would be possible to insert one's own vocal/oral/communicative activity within interpersonal social dynamics. Also highlighting our capacity to vocalise within acoustic contexts, Bannan (2008) claims that:…”

Cockatiels sing human music in synchrony with a playback of the melody

“…However, studies demonstrating singing in unison or, monophony (as opposed to simply singing at the same time) by non-human animals are quite rare, including those in songbirds. Likely, this is one reason why one author stated that "human beings are the only species to have evolved the ability to sing in unison in both the dimensions of rhythmic co-ordination and precise pitch attunement" [22]. As a matter of fact, it is known that a few avian species do sing in unison.…”