Section of General Linguistics, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
University of Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), Barcelona, Spain.
PLoS Biol. 2020 Mar 30;18(3):e3000672. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000672. eCollection 2020 Mar.
Vocal learning is the ability to modify vocal output on the basis of experience. Traditionally, species have been classified as either displaying or lacking this ability. A recent proposal, the vocal learning continuum, recognizes the need to have a more nuanced view of this phenotype and abandon the yes-no dichotomy. However, it also limits vocal learning to production of novel calls through imitation, moreover subserved by a forebrain-to-phonatory-muscles circuit. We discuss its limitations regarding the characterization of vocal learning across species and argue for a more permissive view.
发声学习是指根据经验来改变发声输出的能力。传统上，人们根据物种是否具有这种能力将其分为具有或不具有发声学习能力的两类。最近的一项提议——发声学习连续统，认识到需要更细致地观察这一表现型，并摒弃非此即彼的二分法。然而，它也将发声学习仅限于通过模仿产生新的叫声，而且这种模仿依赖于前脑到发声肌肉的回路。我们讨论了它在描述跨物种发声学习方面的局限性，并主张采取更宽容的观点。
