https://english.elpais.com/science-tech/2023-01-10/if-parrots-can-talk-why-cant-monkeys.html Select: * - - - * Espana * America + Mexico + Colombia + Chile + Argentina * USA EL PAIS Science & Tech subscribeHHOLALOG IN Science & Tech Silicon ValleyYoutubeGoogleLatest News Animals If parrots can talk, why can't monkeys? It's commonly thought that most primates aren't able to speak because of their vocal anatomy, but we now know it's because of neural connections Koko the gorilla with her trainer, Penny Patterson, May 1977.Koko the gorilla with her trainer, Penny Patterson, May 1977.Barney Peterson (Getty) Laura Camon Laura Camon 10 Jan 2023 - 18:59 UTC Speech is the articulation of complex sounds for communication. It's an ability that humans share with other animals such as parrots, dolphins, elephants and even sea lions, but not with their primate cousins. Several attempts at teaching apes to speak have ended disastrously. Viki, a chimpanzee raised from infancy by humans, only managed to learn a few words, like mom and dad. The famous Koko, a gorilla that learned more than 1,000 thousand hand signs to communicate, never uttered a single word. Curiously, some of the best explanations for this inability have come from deer, felines and koalas, but it hasn't exactly been a straightforward journey. Charles Darwin theorized that monkeys had the vocal anatomy needed for speech, but lacked the necessary neural mechanisms. This was the most popular hypothesis until 1969, when Philip Lieberman published an article in Science that disrupted everything. Lieberman studied the vocal anatomy of a monkey corpse and concluded that other primates could not produce as many vowels as humans because of the position of their larynxes. The larynx of a newborn human is positioned at the top of the neck, but it descends permanently by the time a child is two years old. This change doesn't happen in other primates. More information Your cat knows you're talking to it, but does it understand you? Liberman's discovery cemented the idea that a descended larynx is a prerequisite for speech. Paleoanthropologists began to search for hominid fossils that would enable them to determine larynx positions and thereby date the origins of language. Lieberman then reconstructed the soft tissues of a Neanderthal's vocal tract and deduced that its larynx was elevated, more like a chimpanzee larynx. He never suggested that Neanderthals completely lacked any capacity for language, but he did raise serious questions about the ability of other hominids to speak. Towards the end of the 20th century, evolutionary biologist W. Tecumseh Fitch realized a crucial fact - all the existing evidence was based on the anatomy of dead primates. Surprised that this had not been done before, Fitch used x-ray imaging to study the vocal tracts of live animals while they were voicing sounds. He was amazed to observe that their larynxes at rest remained high and then descended during vocalization to a position very similar to the human larynx. Fitch's study demonstrated that the mammalian vocal tract is dynamic, thereby challenging Lieberman's conclusions about the speech abilities of other primates. In The Evolution of Language, Fitch writes, "Even the early hominids could produce many clear and understandable phonemes simply by doing what all mammals do: reconfiguring the vocal anatomy while vocalizing." However, humans still seemed to be the only animals with a permanently descended larynx. Soon after publishing his study, Fitch received an email from David Reby, a French biologist specializing in deer. Reby asked for Fitch's thoughts on some strange movements he observed in the throats of deer during vocalization. Fitch realized that they were similar to those found in other mammals, but the resting position of a deer's larynx was in the middle of the throat, much like a human larynx. In 2001, Fitch and Reby published "The descended larynx is not uniquely human." Fitch then embarked on a search for other animal larynxes positioned like ours, and found them in all the big cats of the genus Panthera (lions, tigers, jaguars and leopards). He even went to Australia to dissect marsupials, and discovered that koalas are also in the club. One can imagine how surprised Fitch was when his bibliographic review discovered an article from 1921 that described the koala's phonatory system (voice box), but failed to mention its resemblance to the human larynx. The discovery that humans are not the only animals with a permanently descended larynx called into question the importance of its position for speech. While lion roars are certainly impressive, they are simple vocalizations and nowhere near as complex as articulated sounds. All these new discoveries led scientists to find a new function for the descended larynx, and so the vocal size exaggeration hypothesis emerged. Large animals tend to produce lower-pitched calls than smaller ones because they have larger larynxes with longer vocal folds. This is the reason for the correlation between the size of an animal and the pitch of its sounds. Animals that are nocturnal or that live in dense forests use deeper voices to appear larger and scare off potential threats. When a larynx descends, it elongates the vocal tract and results in deeper voices. This is obvious in our own species. Pubescent males experience a series of body changes that make them appear larger. Their shoulders broaden, their beards grow, and their larynxes descend a second time. Fitch writes, "The larynx originally descended in hominids in order to exaggerate size, which served as a preadaptation for speech abilities that came later." This has important implications because it challenges the earlier notion that there were hominids with descended larynxes that could not speak. All these studies indicate that apes have all the anatomical characteristics necessary for speech. The reason they don't is purely neural. Humans have much better control of the larynx, not because of its position, but because of the neural connections that connect it to the brain. Parrots don't even have a larynx, but they have wonderful control of their speech organ, which enables them to articulate intelligible words and phrases. All this is a clear example of the importance of comparative research, of how we can study other species to better understand them and ourselves as well. And once again, Darwin was right. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition More information Myths like drinking vinegar divert the attention from the truly relevant actions a person can take to prevent diseases. No, drinking vinegar will not miraculously control your blood sugar Lucia Martinez About 50% of adults who had ADHD as children become easily frustrated and tend to be impulsive. What happens when children with ADHD become adults? Guillermo Lahera Adheres toThe Trust ProjectMore information If you are interested in licensing this content, please contact ventacontenidos@prisamedia.com newsletter Sign up to EL PAIS in English Edition bulletin Most viewed 1. One of the world's most cited scientists, Rafael Luque, suspended without pay for 13 years 2. Extreme drought ended one of the ancient world's greatest empires 3. No dates, no sex, no weddings, no kids: Korean women are standing up to Asian machismo 4. Crypto evangelists enter the Bukele government: The dark business of bitcoin in El Salvador 5. She killed her lover's wife with 41 axe blows and was acquitted: Candy Montgomery's story returns to television Recomendaciones EL PAIS * Cursos * Centros * Frances online * Ingles online * Italiano online * Aleman online * Crucigramas & Juegos Cursos cursos Maestria en Big Data y Analytics 100% en linea Maestria en Big Data y Analytics 100% en linea cursos MBA Administracion y Direccion de Empresas en linea MBA Administracion y Direccion de Empresas en linea cursos Programa en linea en 'Project Finance' Internacional Programa en linea en 'Project Finance' Internacional cursos Maestria en linea en Direccion de Recursos Humanos y Gestion del Talento Maestria en linea en Direccion de Recursos Humanos y Gestion del Talento Centros cursosonline Maestria en linea en Gestion Ambiental Maestria en linea en Gestion Ambiental cursosonline Maestria en Comercio Internacional presencial en Madrid, Espana Maestria en Comercio Internacional presencial en Madrid, Espana cursosonline Maestria en Marketing Digital & E-Commerce. Semipresencial en Madrid, Espana Maestria en Marketing Digital & E-Commerce. Semipresencial en Madrid, Espana cursosonline Maestria en 'Data Management' e Innovacion Tecnologica 100% en linea Maestria en 'Data Management' e Innovacion Tecnologica 100% en linea Frances online cursosingles Mejora tu frances con 15 minutos al dia Mejora tu frances con 15 minutos al dia cursosingles Disfruta de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas. Disfruta de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas. cursosingles Obtendra un diploma con estadisticas de nivel, progresion y participacion. Obtendra un diploma con estadisticas de nivel, progresion y participacion. cursosingles 21 dias de prueba gratuita de nuestro curso de frances 'online' 21 dias de prueba gratuita de nuestro curso de frances 'online' Ingles online cursosingles Mejore su ingles con EL PAIS con 15 minutos al dia Mejore su ingles con EL PAIS con 15 minutos al dia cursosingles Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas cursosingles Evalue su nivel y obtenga un certificado Evalue su nivel y obtenga un certificado cursosingles Pruebe 21 dias gratis y sin compromiso Pruebe 21 dias gratis y sin compromiso Italiano online cursosingles Mejore su italiano con EL PAIS con 15 minutos al dia Mejore su italiano con EL PAIS con 15 minutos al dia cursosingles Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas cursosingles Evalue su nivel y obtenga un certificado Evalue su nivel y obtenga un certificado cursosingles Pruebe 21 dias gratis y sin compromiso Pruebe 21 dias gratis y sin compromiso Aleman online cursosingles Las mejores oportunidades hablan aleman. Nuevo curso 'online' Las mejores oportunidades hablan aleman. Nuevo curso 'online' cursosingles Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas cursosingles Evalue su nivel y obtenga un certificado Evalue su nivel y obtenga un certificado cursosingles Pruebe 21 dias gratis y sin compromiso Pruebe 21 dias gratis y sin compromiso Crucigramas & Juegos juegos Crucigramas minis Crucigramas minis juegos Crucigramas Tarkus Crucigramas Tarkus juegos Sudokus mini Sudokus mini juegos Sopas de letras Sopas de letras Recomendaciones EL PAIS * Cursos * Centros * Italiano online * Frances online * Aleman online * Crucigramas & Juegos Cursos cursos Maestria en Ciencias Ambientales presencial en Benito Juarez Maestria en Ciencias Ambientales presencial en Benito Juarez cursos Licenciatura en Administracion de Empresas presencial en Benito Juarez Licenciatura en Administracion de Empresas presencial en Benito Juarez cursos Maestria a distancia en Linguistica Aplicada a la Ensenanza del Espanol como Lengua Extranjera Maestria a distancia en Linguistica Aplicada a la Ensenanza del Espanol como Lengua Extranjera cursos Licenciatura Ejecutiva en Psicologia Semipresencial. Cinco sedes disponibles Licenciatura Ejecutiva en Psicologia Semipresencial. Cinco sedes disponibles Centros cursosonline Licenciatura Ejecutiva en Derecho. Semipresencial en Aguascalientes Licenciatura Ejecutiva en Derecho. Semipresencial en Aguascalientes cursosonline Maestria a distancia en Actividad Fisica y Salud Maestria a distancia en Actividad Fisica y Salud cursosonline Maestria a distancia en Energias Renovables Maestria a distancia en Energias Renovables cursosonline Descubre un completo Directorio de Centros de Formacion Descubre un completo Directorio de Centros de Formacion Italiano online cursosingles Mejore su italiano con solo 15 minutos al dia Mejore su italiano con solo 15 minutos al dia cursosingles Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas. Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas. cursosingles Obtendra un diploma con estadisticas de nivel, progresion y participacion. Obtendra un diploma con estadisticas de nivel, progresion y participacion. cursosingles 21 dias de prueba gratuita. !Empiece ya! 21 dias de prueba gratuita. !Empiece ya! Frances online cursosingles Mejore su frances con solo 15 minutos al dia Mejore su frances con solo 15 minutos al dia cursosingles Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas. Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas. cursosingles Obtendra un diploma con estadisticas de nivel, progresion y participacion. Obtendra un diploma con estadisticas de nivel, progresion y participacion. cursosingles 21 dias de prueba gratuita. !Empiece ya! 21 dias de prueba gratuita. !Empiece ya! Aleman online cursosingles Las mejores oportunidades hablan aleman. Nuevo curso 'online' Las mejores oportunidades hablan aleman. Nuevo curso 'online' cursosingles Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas. Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas. cursosingles Obtendra un diploma con estadisticas de nivel, progresion y participacion. Obtendra un diploma con estadisticas de nivel, progresion y participacion. cursosingles 21 dias de prueba gratuita. !Empiece ya! 21 dias de prueba gratuita. !Empiece ya! Crucigramas & Juegos juegos !Disfruta con nuestros Crucigramas para expertos! !Disfruta con nuestros Crucigramas para expertos! juegos Resuelve los ultimos Crucigramas de Mambrino Resuelve los ultimos Crucigramas de Mambrino juegos Juega a nuestros Sudoku para Expertos y mejora dia a dia tu nivel Juega a nuestros Sudoku para Expertos y mejora dia a dia tu nivel juegos Juega a las nuevas Sopas de letras clasicas y tematicas de EL PAIS Juega a las nuevas Sopas de letras clasicas y tematicas de EL PAIS Inicia sesion o registrate gratis para continuar leyendo en incognito Registrate gratisInicia sesion Suscribete y lee sin limites Ver opciones de suscripcion HOLA Subscribe for EUR 1 * My activity * My Subscription * My personal data * My newsletters * Rights and de-registration * Events and experiences logout change contrast: Buscar[ ] Select: * - - - * Espana * America + Mexico + Colombia + Chile + Argentina * USA If you want to follow all the latest news without any limits, subscribe to EL PAIS for just EUR1 the first month SUBSCRIBE NOW * Spain * Economy And Business * Society * Opinion * International * Culture * Sports * Science & Tech * Travel * USA * EPS * Podcasts Newsletter Follow on: