We are learning more and more about animal communications.
Recent research with chimpanzees shows that they regularly string different calls together in apparently meaningful sequences. Whilst most calls stand alone, there are plentiful instances of call sequences involving two or three different calls. On rare occasions, the sequences have even stretched to 10 different calls. The sequences appear meaningful due to the way in which they are uttered. They make up certain patterns. The trouble is we do not know what their meaning really is, or even if there is a real meaning. The next step is to judge by the listener’s behaviour whether their caller has had an impact and, if so, in what way. Maybe then we can infer a meaning.
Link to article: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2267734-chimpanzees-seem-to-speak-in-sentences-of-three-or-more-calls/
You may also like to browse other language posts: https://www.thesentientrobot.com/category/language/
