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ffr

(23,127 posts)
Wed Jan 31, 2018, 01:15 PM Jan 2018

Killer whale learns to imitate human speech in world first (video at link)

A killer whale has been taught by scientists to copy human speech.

The researchers were studying a 14-year-old female killer whale named Wikie, who was well-trained and had been taught how to copy behaviours in a previous study.

Wikie was recorded mimicking English words like “hello”, “bye bye” and “one two”, as well as the name of her trainer, Amy.

“Killer whales use their blowhole to make noises, almost like speaking out of your nose, so we were not expecting it to be perfect,” said Dr Jose Abramson, a researcher at the Complutense University of Madrid, who led the study.
<snip>

Despite their intelligence, other primates are not generally capable of such imitation.

However, cetaceans – the mammal group that includes whales and dolphins – are known to be highly adept when it comes to vocal imitation. Both bottlenose dolphins and beluga whales have been observed copying noises they are exposed to. - Independent UK
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Killer whale learns to imitate human speech in world first (video at link) (Original Post) ffr Jan 2018 OP
As soon as she says "So long and thanks for all the fish" lapfog_1 Jan 2018 #1
Too many consonants for an animal without a tongue, don't you think? ffr Jan 2018 #2
Yes, I know, constructor was autocorrected to construction lapfog_1 Jan 2018 #4
oh, and killer whales do have tounges lapfog_1 Jan 2018 #5
You beat me to the punch. nt Xipe Totec Jan 2018 #3

lapfog_1

(30,168 posts)
1. As soon as she says "So long and thanks for all the fish"
Wed Jan 31, 2018, 01:18 PM
Jan 2018

I'll drink a lot a beer and look to the skies for the Vogon construction fleet... and be just a little upset that my electronic hailing "thumb" is missing.

ffr

(23,127 posts)
2. Too many consonants for an animal without a tongue, don't you think?
Wed Jan 31, 2018, 01:30 PM
Jan 2018

Had to Google your tag line, but it comes back "constructor" fleet(s). Something I'll need to brush up on to understand no doubt.

lapfog_1

(30,168 posts)
4. Yes, I know, constructor was autocorrected to construction
Wed Jan 31, 2018, 01:33 PM
Jan 2018

and I posted before I noticed the change. Sometimes I hate computers ( and I've been writing software for 50 years now )

lapfog_1

(30,168 posts)
5. oh, and killer whales do have tounges
Wed Jan 31, 2018, 01:37 PM
Jan 2018

but no vocal cords in their throats.

"A killer whale makes sounds by moving air between nasal sacs in the blowhole region. In contrast, a human makes sound by forcing air through the larynx. The vocal cords in the larynx vibrate as air flows across them, producing sounds."

https://seaworld.org/en/animal-info/animal-infobooks/killer-whale/communication-and-echolocation

much as I hate to reference seaworld for this info

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