HumanVocalisation

[Ian]

Hi,

 

My CAG is approx 12 months of age and has a vocabulary of about 7-10 words. He initiated human vocalisation at around 4 months with the word `hello`. On learning a new word he will repeat it incessantly for numerous weeks unitl he grows tired of reproducing it and moves on to a newer `different` sound. He is currently reciting `Good Boy` over and over with unprecedented clarity but within a singular one phrase context. I would like to ask if other CAG or TAG owners who acquired there avian companions from an early age and progressed with them through there vocal learning curve, when there birds started to use multiple words in combination for vocal expression.

 

Thanks (from rainy England).

[danmcq]

Good question posited Ian!

 

Dayo is presently 12 weeks old and is still at the Breeders.

 

So, I am of no help on this topic.

 

But, many here are, that will chime in here.

 

Speaking of the Rain and Flooding in England, I have never seen this before. It is really devastating to those of you that live there and my best wishes go out to you.

 

Has flooding of this nature ever occurred in the past 100 years or so?

[Guest Lidia]

Hi Ian,

 

Your CAG sounds like he is learning to speak at just about the right time. The repetition is common to them all, and even as they get older they often have a favourite phrase that they say over and over again.

As he gets more confident with his use of human speech, he will begin to mix it up a bit.

 

It's partly a calibration thing, he is making sure the word sounds right. He's practising his sounds, and he will continue to do this for as long as he learns words (all his life). But he will gradually do it less.

 

When Joshua started speaking (he is eighteen years old now and I've had him since he was four months old), he began to mix and match phrases and words and threw a few invented or mangled ones into the mix. Some of the invented words ('sird' was a favourite for a while) became repetitive favourites for a while and then were forgotten or superseded by new ones. I guess by about two, he was mixing and matching, but still having words-in-progress. By about three, he was able to use words in their correct context, and label some things he wanted or liked (toast, tea, etc).

 

Hope this helps!

(From rainy Ireland - we are having the same monsoon as you).<br><br>Post edited by: Lidia, at: 2007/07/26 17:17

[danmcq]

Lidia,

 

Great post and information.

 

I really like the term "Calibration" for fine tuning to ensure they have it just right.

 

God, that really illustrates how intelligent these Greys really are!

[dblhelix]

Very useful post Lidia...only one with years of experience could provide. The value of this cannot be attained w/o going through it. Thanks as always for sharing. Of course all the birds are individuals and the timing for each will be slightly different, but that is a great summary of general progression most will likely observe.

[Talon]

Lidia, that is excellent advice! Talon started talking at 4 1/2 months, and she does exactly what you have posted. She can use some words in context already at 21 months, and has quite a sense of humor. She will lightly nip, and then laugh! :pinch:

[Ice]

Hi family!

 

Roxy is 6 months old tomorrow, she started cute sounds around 4 months too, but for the last 3 weeks she's been saying hello clearly and I can hear quite a few new words that she is trying out.

 

Whenever someone sneezes, I say bless you so that she can learn that, and when someone leaves they say bye and after a knock I always say hello come in.

 

I want her to learn the meaning of the words, she look very intellegent and I'm sure she's going to be a very bright bird.

 

Thanks you all for your good comments.

 

Love from South-Africa.

[danmcq]

Ice,

 

Roxy Rocks :-)

 

You are word relationship method you are using is very wise of you.

 

Isn't amazing how they are such intelligent creatures?

 

Keep us posted of Roxy's speech progress. It is very interesting to be able to watch this happen from such an early age. :laugh:

[Snow]

Mr.Boo has been learning new words since coming to live with us. I am amazed at how he practices the new words and sounds!

 

Most amazing of all to us was this: His former mom's dog was called "Zorro". Upon meeting our dogs, he called them Zorro. Now however, he has learned their names and calls them "Zorro Tucker" and Zorro Elvis".

 

He now uses "Zorro" as another word meaning "dog".

 

Now that's cognitive thinking!

 

Incredible... why didn't we get one of these birds sooner?

 

Snow

[Shawzy4]

Hi all,

Storms 4 months and saying hello, She has the wolf whistle all most perfect every-time..I think She has been trying to say grape over the last couple of days...

[Guest Lidia]

Snow wrote:

Now however, he has learned their names and calls them "Zorro Tucker" and Zorro Elvis". He now uses "Zorro" as another word meaning "dog".

 

That is absolutely amazing! What a clever bird you have! :woohoo:

[Guest Lidia]

Shawzy4 wrote:

She has the wolf whistle all most perfect every-time.

 

Surprisingly, the wolf-whistle is actually a natural parrot sound, they use it in the wild!

 

It's nice that she's trying to say grape properly. I remember when Joshua was learning the word "toast", and he'd say "Toe. Toe. Toe. Toe. Tooooooeeeeee" until he could get the whole word out.

[Ian]

Wolf Whistling a `natural` wild call?

 

I didn`t know that but in retrospect I guess thats why all of the CAG`s and TAG`s I have heard vocalise produce this sound.

 

Thanks for the input Lidia.:cheer: