Vocal Learning in Mammals

Janik, Vincent M.; Slater, Peter J.

doi:10.1016/s0065-3454(08)60377-0

Cited by 589 publications

(551 citation statements)

References 135 publications

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“…The existence of song learning was already noted by Aristotle (Aristotle,350 BC), and vocal learning provided an important basis for DarwinÕs suggestion that human and bird ''music'' are evolutionary analogs (Darwin, 1871). Since that time it has become clear that vocal learning is a key factor, in most bird species, distinguishing song from calls (which are typically innate), and furthermore that vocal learning is a quite rare ability among mammals (Janik & Slater, 1997). Nonetheless, there are a few types of birds which are said to ''sing'' on functional grounds (because the vocalization functions in territoriality or courtship) but whose vocalizations are not complex (e.g., doves) or are not learned (some suboscines).…”

Section: Bird Songmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…The odontocetes include small forms like the 1 m harbour porpoise, well-known species like bottlenosed dolphins, killer whales, and the sperm whale, the largest odontocete. Although vocal learning has been clearly documented in this group (Janik & Slater, 1997), none of the toothed whales have complex vocalizations that have been termed song (though both sperm whale codas, Watkins & Schevill, 1977) and some bottlenosed dolphin phrases (Dreher & Evans, 1964) might potentially justify the use of this term. The term ''song'' has traditionally been reserved for the long, complex vocalizations of baleen whales, especially the humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae, as well as related species such as the bowhead whale Balaena mysticetus.…”

Section: Whale Songmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…It was clear to Darwin, and has remained unargued ever since, that bird song is analogous, not homologous, to human song (our common ancestor, a Paleozoic reptile, did not sing), and the same can be said for whale and seal song. By the definition above, there are no singing primates except humans: although certain primate calls are traditionally termed song (e.g., the complex vocalizations of gibbons (Geissmann, 2000), or the simple but beautiful and haunting call of the indri, a Madagascan prosimian) there is no evidence of vocal learning of complex vocalizations in any nonhuman primate (Janik & Slater, 1997).…”

Section: Vocal Music or ''Song''mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, it is better to speak of the functions of birdsong (Kroodsma & Byers, 1991), recognizing that some of these might be sexually selected, while others (like female territorial song that repels conspecifics of both sexes) are better seen as products of recent natural selection. Furthermore, vocal learning as a capacity underlying song has evolved in animals in several instances where sexual selection plays no obvious current role (e.g., in dolphins and other toothed whales, and perhaps parrots (Janik & Slater, 1997)). Thus, the comparative data suggest multiple possible selective routes to song, and sexual selection must not be simply assumed as the only possibility.…”

Section: The Adaptive Functions Of Birdsongmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As previously emphasized, no non-human primate is currently believed to learn complex vocalizations, and indeed the abilities of non-human primates to modify or learn their vocalizations are strictly (and surprisingly) limited (Janik & Slater, 1997;Larson, Sutton, Taylor, & Lindeman, 1973). Thus, song has evolved convergently in a number of independent lineages, including humans.…”

Section: Instrumental Music: Great Ape Drummingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The biology and evolution of music: A comparative perspective

2006

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Studies of the biology of music (as of language) are highly interdisciplinary and demand the integration of diverse strands of evidence. In this paper, I present a comparative perspective on the biology and evolution of music, stressing the value of comparisons both with human language, and with those animal communication systems traditionally termed ''song''. A comparison of the ''design features'' of music with those of language reveals substantial overlap, along with some important differences. Most of these differences appear to stem from semantic, rather than structural, factors, suggesting a shared formal core of music and language. I next review various animal communication systems that appear related to human music, either by analogy (bird and whale ''song'') or potential homology (great ape bimanual drumming). A crucial comparative distinction is between learned, complex signals (like language, music and birdsong) and unlearned signals (like laughter, ape calls, or bird calls). While human vocalizations clearly build upon an acoustic and emotional foundation shared with other primates and mammals, vocal learning has evolved independently in our species since our divergence with chimpanzees. The convergent evolution of vocal learning in other species offers a powerful window into psychological and neural constraints influencing the evolution of complex signaling systems (including both song and speech), while ape drumming presents a fascinating potential homology with human instrumental music. I next discuss the archeological data relevant to music evolution, concluding on the basis of prehistoric bone flutes that instrumental music is at least 40,000 years old, and perhaps much older. I end with a brief review of adaptive functions proposed for music, concluding that no one selective force (e.g., sexual selection) is adequate to explaining all aspects of human music. I suggest that questions about ARTICLE IN PRESSthe past function of music are unlikely to be answered definitively and are thus a poor choice as a research focus for biomusicology. In contrast, a comparative approach to music promises rich dividends for our future understanding of the biology and evolution of music.

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Section: Bird Songmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Whale Songmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Vocal Music or ''Song''mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Adaptive Functions Of Birdsongmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Instrumental Music: Great Ape Drummingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The biology and evolution of music: A comparative perspective

2006

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A Comparative Evolutionary Approach to the Origins and Evolution of Cognition and of Language

Tamariz¹

2020

The Handbook of Historical Linguistics

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Vocal Communication in Primates

Slocombe

2015

Emerging Trends in the Social and Behavioral Sciences

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Vocal communication is common in the animal kingdom. Researchers often examine vocal communication in nonhuman primates (primates) with the aim of identifying similarities and differences with human language and speech, in order to trace the evolutionary origins of our complex communication system. Primates can produce distinct calls in response to specific events, such as the discovery of a certain predator, and listeners seem to understand what these calls refer to. Although on the surface there are similarities between this type of communication and human referential words, the mental processes that underlie them may be very different. While in general the flexibility shown by primate receivers may demonstrate some commonalities with humans, there is much more controversy over whether there are similarities between the production of primate vocalizations and language. It is widely accepted that primates, unlike humans, lack the ability to generate new vocalizations. Although this means primates have a closed repertoire of calls that cannot be expanded, primates are capable of combining their existing calls to generate new messages. The degree of voluntary control and intentionality involved in the use of calls is also a matter of debate, with recent evidence on both a neural and behavioral level challenging traditional assumptions that primate vocalizations are used in an automatic, reflexive manner. More research is needed to examine the mental processes underlying communicative behavior in both the producer and the receiver. In the future adopting a more holistic, multimodal approach to studying primate communication is likely to challenge and ultimately improve our understanding of primate communication and the evolution of human language.

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Vocal Learning in Mammals

Cited by 589 publications

References 135 publications

The biology and evolution of music: A comparative perspective

The biology and evolution of music: A comparative perspective

A Comparative Evolutionary Approach to the Origins and Evolution of Cognition and of Language

Vocal Communication in Primates

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