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Monkeys mark each other with names and open a new window for understanding the development of human language

Groundbreaking research reveals that marmosets mark each other by name using unique calls, an ability that until now was thought to be the exclusive preserve of a limited number of species. The findings provide new insights into the development of human language, and suggest a connection to social challenges similar to those of our ancient ancestors

Marking others with vocal names, and learning names from others are considered high cognitive abilities among social animals. So far, these abilities have only been attributed to a limited number of species: humans, dolphins and elephants, and surprisingly, similar abilities have not been observed among our evolutionary relatives, the primates. 

A groundbreaking new study conducted by a team of researchers from the Hebrew University, led by Dr. David Omer from the Edmond and Lily Safra Neuroscience Center (ELSC), reveals for the first time that marmoset monkeys, a small species of monkey living in the rainforests of South America, use unique calls to signal in each other's names. This discovery expands the list of animals with this ability, and provides new insights into the evolutionary development of human language.

As part of the study, published in the prestigious journal Science, the researchers recorded natural conversations between pairs of marmosets as well as interactions between the monkeys and a computer system. The research, led by doctoral student Guy Oren, included an in-depth analysis of "pi-calls" - unique calls made by marmosets. The researchers used advanced methods from the field of machine learning for acoustic analysis of the calls and followed the monkeys' reactions to different calls. In addition, a computer system was used that conducted conversations with marmosets, which allowed them to examine the monkeys' reactions under controlled conditions.

The research findings reveal a much more complex communication system than was known until now. Family members in the marmoset group use similar vocal labels to mark different details and similar acoustic characteristics to encode names, similar to the use of names and idioms in humans. It is particularly interesting that this vocal learning also occurs among unrelated adult marmosets. "This study reveals for the first time the impressive ability of marmoset monkeys to use names. These readings are not only used to announce a location in space, as was thought in the past, but are used to mark specific details", explains doctoral student Oren.

Dr. Omar summarizes the significance of the research: "For decades, vocal communication in primates was considered genetically dictated and lacked the flexibility that so characterizes human language. Therefore, it was also not considered to be evolutionarily relevant to the development of language in humans. These findings open a door to understanding the evolutionary development of human language. Marmosets live in small monogamous family groups and care for their offspring together, much like humans. This similarity suggests that they faced similar evolutionary social challenges to those of our early ancestors, which may have led them to develop similar methods of communication. Beyond our understanding of the communication abilities of animals, the study also offers new research directions in the field of language development and social cognition."

for the scientific article

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