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Review
. 2020 Jul;12(3):894-909.
doi: 10.1111/tops.12414. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

The Development of Structured Vocalizations in Songbirds and Humans: A Comparative Analysis

Dina Lipkind  1   2 , Andreea Geambasu  3   4 , Clara C Levelt  3   4
Affiliations
Free article
Review

The Development of Structured Vocalizations in Songbirds and Humans: A Comparative Analysis

Dina Lipkind et al. Top Cogn Sci. 2020 Jul.
Free article

Abstract

Humans and songbirds face a common challenge: acquiring the complex vocal repertoire of their social group. Although humans are thought to be unique in their ability to convey symbolic meaning through speech, speech and birdsong are comparable in their acoustic complexity and the mastery with which the vocalizations of adults are acquired by young individuals. In this review, we focus on recent advances in the study of vocal development in humans and songbirds that shed new light on the emergence of distinct structural levels of vocal behavior and point to new possible parallels between both groups.

Keywords: Acoustic structure; Birdsong; Human speech; Vocal development; Vocal learning.

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References

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