A Common Language

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Humans and some animal species use a series of high-pitched sounds and sing-song words when talking to their babies.

A new study found that bottlenose dolphin mothers are also capable of this “baby talk,” the Independent reported.

A research team recorded the signature whistles of 19 mothers in Florida’s Sarasota Bay when accompanied by their young offspring, when alone, or with other adults.

They explained that bottlenose dolphins’ signature whistles are unique and are integral to their communication, such as helping them recognize and track each other.

The researchers noticed that the pitches in the signals became higher when mothers directed them at their calves. This higher pitch was demonstrated by all 19 mothers, they noted.

The findings focused mainly on the signature call of the marine mammals with the team saying that there are still a few mysteries regarding the use of “baby talk.” They are pondering whether this change of voice is used for other exchanges or to help dolphin calves to learn “talk.”

“It would make sense if there are similar adaptations in bottlenose dolphins – a long-lived, highly acoustic species,” where calves must learn to vocalize many sounds to communicate, said co-author Frants Jensen.

Scientists are unsure why humans, dolphins, and other animals engage in baby talk, but they think it could aid young ones in learning new sounds.

Studies from the 1980s proposed that human babies are more attentive to speech that has a wider range of pitches.

For example, female rhesus monkeys adjust their calls to capture and maintain their offspring’s attention.