Linguistic aspects of the vocalizations of primates

Abstract

In spite of the distance between the vocal communication produced by primates and that produced by humans, our understanding of the phylogeny of oral language inevitably depends on the study of our evolutionary relatives. The comparative method has proved its value in testing evolutionary hypotheses, enabling us to contrast empirical data compiled from living species. Primatology studies have begun to produce abundant data on some primate species, but to date we know very little of the semiterrestrial species that live in the dense jungle, especially about less popular species such as the drill. In captivity, drills have a repertoire of 16 types of vocalization (19 subtypes), and 63 vocalizations or vocal patterns associated with specific contexts have been distinguished. Its vocal repertoire includes seven main calls, which serve as the basis for the other vocalizations. It appears that certain linguistic features of human speech, such as reduplication, vocalic changes, phonetic symbolism and inflection, also appear in drills.