Rhythm of the Deep: A Computational-Linguistic Test of Duality of Patterning in Sperm Whale Codas
Researchers have published a computational-linguistic study on sperm whale codas, analyzing 1,483 codas from the Dominica Sperm Whale Project. Using a framework that combines audio encoders, structural tests, and null baselines, the study investigates the "duality of patterning"—a feature of human language where lower-level units combine into larger ones. The findings suggest a two-tier architecture in sperm whale codas, with the lower tier based on click presence and rhythm, and the upper tier showing sequential dependence at the bout level. AI