• Question: When the part of a humans brain that controls the speach is damaged, so seriously that they can not speak. Animals comunicate through sound, so if the part of the brain that controls that is damaged will they still be able to make a noise?

    Asked by oliviabu007 to Damien, Rachael, Simon, Suzi, Tim on 17 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Rachael Ward

      Rachael Ward answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Hi oliviabu007

      Thats a very well thought out idea, I hadnt considered this before and my answer is just a sort of guess I’m afraid!

      Lots of animals including birds and whales have very complicated “songs”. These must require similarly complicated brain systems to make as we humans need to talk. I would guess that if part of this system was damaged then the animal could loose the ability to “sing” as it had before. Humans with brain injury can often still talk a little or make some words but not as well so the animals might be the same – they might still make “noises” but not “sing”.

      I really dont know much about this – maybe Damien will be able to help more as he studies linguistics?

      Sorry I cant give you a definite answer but its a great question

    • Photo: Suzi Gage

      Suzi Gage answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Hi @oliviabu007
      I think the same as Rachael, it might be that they could sitll make noise, but not noise that is meaningful to other animals.

      It’s a really great question 🙂

    • Photo: Tim Fosker

      Tim Fosker answered on 17 Jun 2011:

      Hi @oliviabu007

      Thanks for an absolutely fantastic question! And one I feel I can answer, especially for birds.

      There are some studies with zebra finches have shown that they learn bird song from one another after they are born, much like humans learn language by listening as babies. Learning the sounds of language comes from babbling. Babbling is how a baby learns to control their mouth, lips and tounge to make the sounds they hear others making. For birds if you damage the area of the brain that controls this motor learning they don’t learn to sing.

      I hope that answered your question.

Comments