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Underwater speech-like structure| title | Underwater speech-like structure |
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| start_date | 2026/08/19 |
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| schedule | 17h-18h |
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| online | yes |
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| visio | https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81880358446?pwd=2wgjXpb7hFD9aLMT76NSABdvO7sMWd.1 |
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| location_info | Online |
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| summary | In this talk, I outline approaches for uncovering speech-like structure in toothed whales. Toothed whales evolved their articulatory apparatus independently of most other vocalizing animals: their vocal-fold equivalents evolved inside their nasal complexes. Their vocalizations have so far been analyzed either as clicks or in terms of fundamental frequency, leaving spectral structure largely overlooked. I argue that this spectral structure is in fact highly structured, and potentially controlled and meaningful. Once timing is removed, sperm whale codas resemble human vowels and diphthongs. Applying the same shift in perspective to orca vocalizations reveals both consonantal and vocalic structure in the spectrum. Together, these findings suggest that the complexity of sperm whale and orca vocalizations is far higher than previously believed. I discuss implications of finding speech-like elements in cetaceans for linguistics, cognitive science, philosophy and beyond. |
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| responsibles | Chemla, Ravaux, Schlenker |
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Workflow history| from state (1) | to state | comment | date |
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| submitted | published | | 2026/08/24 07:25 UTC |
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