These dolphins talk to each other. Why do we insist it isn’t language?

Re:These dolphins talk to each other. Why do we insist it is... by s_kilk on Thursday April 21, 2016 @06:44AM (#11540922)

> On the note of how they communicate - I wonder if anyone has considered sonar holography - I.e. The clicks and whistles aren't words per se but are interpreted visually, as an actual sonar reflection off an actual object would be. I'm trying to find the paper but I seem to recall some research in which they realised a dolphin was mimicking the sonar echo of an object, with startling accuracy.

Do you mean something like this?

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/12/this-picture-reveals-how-dol...

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Re:These dolphins talk to each other. Why do we insist it is... by madaxe_again on Thursday April 21, 2016 @07:05AM (#11541026)

Exactly that, yes. Spatial information encoded in acoustic information - audio pictograms, almost.

The really interesting question then becomes "is it always literal, or do they have abstract imagery too?".

If it's the latter, that is, in my admittedly inexpert opinion, a slam dunk for dolphin sentience - abstract symbolism allows art.

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