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by Guy Shaked
Keywords: acoustics ,Bottelnose, Dolphins, Shaked
In this small paper I would like to point, that from a comperative point of view to the fact that unlike humans, dolphins can reproduce computer sounds of small duration in incredibale exactness (almost like a taperecorder's).
The experiment by which the mimicry of computer generated sounds by Bottlenose dolphins (Richard, Wolz and Herman, 1984), was examined, reveals several acoustical properties. The spectrograms showing the mimicry of nine computer generated model sounds, which appear in figure 13.2 demonstrate that dolphins can reproduce computer sounds of small duration in incredibale exactness (almost like a taperecorder).
Especialy in sounds (A, B, E, F, G, I), the pitch of the dolphin's imitation is loyal to the original sound! It is an almost perfect duplication of it, surpassing any human capability both in the hearing and production of accurate pitch (Cohen and Katz, 1968)
The implication of this result is that dolphins are much more sensitive to minute variations of pitch and can hear and produce sounds accurately in comparison to human capability. Therefore, when trying to examine dolphins sounds, one should be aware that minute changes in pitch might represent meaningful data to a dolphin. In fact, what seems to us humans, a schematic signature-whistle might be much more than mere repetitions of sounds, because minute changes of these sounds, which humans tend to disregard might indeed be very meaningful to a dolphin ear.
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Richards, D. G., Wolz, J. and Herman, L.M, "Vocal Mimicry of Computer-Generated Sounds and Vocal Labeling of Objects by a Bottlenosed Dolphin, Tursiops truncatus", "Journal of Comparative Psychology", 98 (1984):10-28
Cohen, D. and Katz, R., "Remarks Concerning the Use of the Melograph in Ethnomusicological Studies", "Yuval", 1 (1968):155-168.
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Deciphering Dolphin Language
A New Algorithm for Pitch Detection (ACOUSTICS)
© 1999
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