Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026
05:35
Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization
Published on: April 19, 2017
Campbell's monkeys use affixation to alter call meaning
Karim Ouattara1, Alban Lemasson, Klaus Zuberbühler
1Laboratoire EthoS Ethologie Animale et Humaine, UMR 6552-CNRS, Université de Rennes 1, Station Biologique, Paimpont, France.
Plos One
|November 17, 2009
Summary
Campbell's monkeys use suffixes in alarm calls, similar to human language. This modification broadens the meaning of calls, transforming specific predator alerts into general disturbance signals.
Area of Science:
- Primate communication
- Bioacoustics
- Evolutionary linguistics
Background:
- Human language evolved from primate vocalizations.
- Affixation is a key process in human language morphology.
- Non-human primate vocalizations offer insights into language evolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate functional analogy to human affixation in primate alarm calls.
- Analyze the structure and function of Campbell's monkey alarm calls.
- Determine if non-human primates can generate meaningful acoustic variation.
Main Methods:
- Long-term field observations of Campbell's monkeys.
- Predator simulation experiments to elicit alarm calls.
- Acoustic analysis of alarm call structure (stems and suffixes).
Main Results:
- Male Campbell's monkey alarm calls feature an acoustically variable stem and an invariable suffix.
- Suffixation modifies specific alarm calls (eagle, leopard) into general alert calls.
- This process broadens the communicative meaning of the calls.
Conclusions:
- Campbell's monkeys exhibit a functional equivalent of suffixation in their alarm calls.
- Non-human primates can produce meaningful acoustic variation during vocalizations.
- This finding provides insights into the evolutionary origins of human language.
Related Concept Videos
01:03Communication
Communication between two animals occurs when one animal transmits an information signal that causes a change in the animal that receives the information. Organisms communicate with one another in a host of different ways. Signals can be auditory, chemical, visual, tactile, or a combination of these. Communication is a critical behavioral adaptation that promotes survival, growth, and reproduction.
01:23Mnemonic Devices
Mnemonic devices are cognitive tools that facilitate memory retention by linking new information to familiar patterns or organizational strategies. These techniques are beneficial for remembering complex or lengthy sets of information by simplifying and structuring them in easily retrievable ways.
Acronyms
Acronyms are created by using the initial letters of a series of words to form a new word or phrase. This approach condenses complex information into a single, memorable entity. For example,...
Acronyms
Acronyms are created by using the initial letters of a series of words to form a new word or phrase. This approach condenses complex information into a single, memorable entity. For example,...
01:13Nonconscious Mimicry
Nonconscious mimicry occurs when individuals alter their mannerisms to match the behaviors and expressions of those nearby, without intention.
01:20Attachment
Attachment is vital for infant development, as warm social interactions support growth and well-being. In a classic 1958 study by Harry Harlow, the significance of warmth and comfort in forming attachments was examined. Harlow separated newborn monkeys from their mothers and provided two artificial "mothers": one made of cold wire and the other covered in soft cloth. Despite the wire mother offering food, the infant monkeys preferred the comfort of the cloth mother, demonstrating that physical...
01:19Conjugation
Conjugation is a form of horizontal gene transfer that primarily occurs in bacteria and some archaea, promoting genetic diversity and adaptation. Bacteria can acquire resistance genes through conjugative plasmids, allowing them to survive antibiotic treatments that would otherwise be lethal. This process involves direct contact between cells through specialized structures such as the sex pilus and is mediated by conjugative plasmids, including the F (fertility) factor.Conjugation requires...
01:14Impression Management Techniques IV: Altercasting
Altercasting is a strategic communication technique in which an individual imposes a specific identity or social role onto another person to influence their behavior and shape the interaction. By presuming a role—such as “responsible leader” or “patient person”—altercasting encourages the target to conform to that identity, often aligning their behavior with the expectations associated with the role. The power of this tactic lies in its subtlety; once a role is assigned, it becomes socially...