First we babble and then we talk...Did
you know that human speech shares many similarities with songbird?
I came across this research article reviewing amazing
findings about language development and birdsong learning. Overall, the
similarities between human speech and birdsong can be found in: (1) the brain
connections and design responsible for speech and song learning; (2) the
structure of language and birdsong, including perception of vocalisation; and
(3) the involvement of a gene called FOXP2 in vocal learning.
Both humans and birds start by imitating
the communication sounds they hear, this is the vocalisation phase that is
known as “babble” in the human and “subsong” in the bird. The neural mechanisms
involved in speech and birdsong development are still under investigation,
including the forebrain and motor regions. So far, we know that birdsong
consists of different song sequences depending on the social context. These
sequences could be related to the human “syntax”, which is the order of words
and phrases to form sentences. Comparative genetic studies are underway to
elucidate the role of different genes in speech and birdsong development. One
example is the FOXP2 gene: mutations in this gene have been associated with
speech disorders.
Studies like these will help us
to better understand the evolution of communication not only in humans but also
in other animals.