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NEWSLINE PAPER,-
When we think of accents, what comes to mind is usually a variation of voices in human language, like the difference between British and American English accents.
However, the concept of accent turns out to be not confined to humans. Animals also show an interesting vocal variation that can be called "accents".
Quoted from the Daily Break, accent differences were observed in different species (such as different types of wolves) and in the same species that live in different geographical regions.
Frogs, dolphins, birds, monkeys, and whales are some animals that have distinctly different accents.
In 2013, computer algorithms collected and analyzed the trails of various species of wolves and successfully associated unique trail IDs to each species.
It helps scientists better monitor the various populations of wolves in the wild.
Research by Shane Gero, a researcher at Carleton University, on Caribbean sperm whales shows that they have a different rhythm in their tail or a series of clicks used to communicate.
These differences serve as identity signals for families, social groups, and regional groups, providing a rich and complex social structure between them across the ocean.
Monkeys show dialect differences when their environment changes. Monkeys have slightly different call frequencies when they're miles away from each other.
This may be due to environmental differences, because in more forested areas, the appeal must be higher in order to be heard clearly.
Recent research also suggests that pets, such as birds, cats, and dogs, can capture the accents of their owners, by incorporating human dialect features such as tones and intonations into their own language.
Animals with more complex communication often learn the intricacies of their "language" by imitating the individuals around them, Science Focus quotes.
In 1958, researchers at the University of Cambridge showed that separate male chaffinch birds grew up singing simpler songs; all the vibrations and variations in their songs turned out to be learned from other chaffinches.
Over time, isolated populations within the same species can develop their own "regional songs".
Source : Daily Break