Language-like efficiency in whale communication
Science Advances,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
11(6)
Published: Feb. 5, 2025
Vocal
communication
systems
in
humans
and
other
animals
experience
selection
for
efficiency—optimizing
the
benefits
they
convey
relative
to
costs
of
producing
them.
Two
hallmarks
efficiency,
Menzerath’s
law
Zipf’s
abbreviation,
predict
that
longer
sequences
will
consist
shorter
elements
more
frequent
be
shorter,
respectively.
Here,
we
assessed
evidence
both
laws
cetaceans
by
analyzing
vocal
from
16
baleen
toothed
whale
species
comparing
them
51
human
languages.
Eleven
exhibit
law,
sometimes
with
greater
effect
sizes
than
speech.
five
categorized
element
types
abbreviation.
On
average,
whales
also
tend
shorten
intervals
toward
end
sequences,
although
this
varies
species.
Overall,
results
study
suggest
vocalizations
many
cetacean
have
undergone
compression
increased
efficiency
time.
Language: Английский
Language-like efficiency in whale communication
Published: May 19, 2024
Human
language
and
other
animal
communication
systems
tend
to
be
optimized
for
efficiency—thebenefits
that
they
bestow
relative
the
costs
of
learning
producing
them.
One
clearestmanifestations
communicative
efficiency
is
Menzerath’s
law,
which
predicts
longer
sequences(e.g.,
songs)
will
comprised
shorter
elements
(e.g.,
notes).
In
this
study,
I
assessed
evidence
forMenzerath’s
law
in
cetaceans
by
analyzing
vocal
sequences
from
16
baleen
toothed
whale
speciesand
comparing
them
spoken
data
51
human
languages.
The
vocalizations
11
whalespecies
included
analysis
adhere
an
extent
comparable
to,
andsometimes
far
greater
than,
what
observed
data.
Humpback
whales
exhibit
both
at
level
notes
within
phrases
songs.
There
also
a
broad
tendency
shortening—elements
or
intervals
getting
over
course
sequences—which
may
point
simple
energetic
constraints.
Overall,
results
study
suggest
wide
range
species
have
undergone
compression
increased
efficiency.
Language: Английский