The idea that some other animal might have a language of it’s own, or may be able to learn ours, has fascinated me since I was in middle school. Language studies with the great apes have had an impressive level of success several apes have learned hundreds of signs in sign language. Notable examples include Koko the gorilla, who is supposed to know about 1,000 signs (and loves kittens), and Loulis the chimpanzee, who learned sign language from her mother Washoe instead of human teachers (Wayman, 2011). In another example, Kanzi, a bonobo, has learned to lexigrams, a visual symbolic language (Wayman, 2011). Koko and Kanzi both understand spoken language (Wayman, 2011).

With dolphins however, there is evidence that they may have their own full blown language.

In order to examine this idea, we must first consider what a language is. Justin Gregg uses the definition “an arbitrary set of learned symbols (usually vocal) organized systematically into a logical grammar consisting of small infinitely combinatorial elements, capable of communicating concrete and abstract meaning, and shared by a group,” in a podcast titled Do Dolphins Have a Language (2006)? Dolphins’ natural forms of communication have, for the most part, not been shown to have these traits (Gregg, 2006).

Dolphins have, however, shown themselves to be capable of doing most things a human language does. When taught a simplified artificial language, dolphins are able to use object, action and modifier (right/left etc.) words in learned and novel combinations, displaying an understanding of syntax (Janik, 2013). They have also displayed an understanding of abstract concepts in this way (Gregg, 2006). Each dolphin also has a unique “signature whistle” which they use to identify themselves, and occasionally address other dolphins  (Janik, 2013). Which is a pretty good description of a name. These animals listen in to each other’s echolocation calls, and communicate with discrete clicks that might contain syntax (Janik, 2013).

Jack Kassewitz, believes that dolphins have a “sono-pictorial” language, as they are able to “see” with sound using specialized auditory organs in their lower jaws (Kassewitz & Reid, 2011). He and others are attempting to decode this language by recording dolphins echolocating and communicating in context. (“Press Release”). Using a “CymaScope” instrument, they have found that dolphins make “click trains” which are used in echolocation, and “chirps” which they believe make up the dolphin language (“Press Release”).

While it is by no means proven that dolphins have a true language (I find it a bit hasty to act like it is), there is more evidence for it for these animals than any other. They have proven themselves capable of many functions of language, and have enough complexity in their system of communication to allow for a language. So I’ll be rooting for the dolphins. 😉

(There’s also a Tedd Talk on the subject, and those are always worth listening too)

References

Gregg, J. (2006, November 24). DO DOLPHINS HAVE A LANGUAGE. The Dolphin Pod. Podcast retrieved from http://www.dolphincommunicationproject.org/index.php/2014-10-21-00-13-26/dolphin-language

Janik, V. M. (2013, April). Cognitive skills in bottlenose dolphin communication. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. pp. 157-159. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2013.02.005.

Kassewitz, J, & Reid, J. S. (2011, November). The Discovery of Dolphin Language. Retrieved from http://www.speakdolphin.com/ResearchItems.cfm?ID=20

PRESS RELEASE: Deciphering Dolphin Language with Picture Words. Retrieved from http://www.speakdolphin.com/ResearchItems.cfm?ID=6

Wayman, Erin (2011, August 11). Six Talking Apes. Retrieved from http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/six-talking-apes-48085302/?no-ist