The birds reacted to only one of the four jumbled versions, called SEQ2, as if they noticed it violated some rule of grammar, whereas the other three remixes didn't. Almost 90 per cent of the birds tested responded in this way. "This indicates the existence of a specific rule in the sequential orderings of syllables in their songs, shared within the social community," Abe told New Scientist.
"Finally, Abe chemically destroyed an area of the brain called the anterior nidopallium in some birds, and was thereby able to demonstrate that it is vital for registering faulty grammar. In humans, a region called Broca's area is activated when we hear ungrammatical sentences, so Abe suggests that studying the counterpart region in finches might throw new light on the origins of human grammar."
Click here for the article.
No comments:
Post a Comment