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The evidence that they are using a complex "language" is definitely weak. For example, how does it prove that they aren't simply saying, "Hey, hey!" to each other like the Far Side cartoon[0]? I would have preferred more interpretation of the different noises the dolphins make over the fact that they are making them in the first place.

[0] https://pupster.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/dog-translator.j...



They same way we are almost certain that the Voynich manuscript contains an undeciphered written language, by applying a combination of information theory, computational linguistics, and statistics.


It's probably more informative than "Hey! Hey!", but it's not clear that it rises to the level of language, as opposed to communication.

To be precise: not all communication is language, language involves grammar, which hasn't (yet) been conclusively demonstrated in any other species.

Source: was a neuroscientist who TAed for a guy who tried to teach a chimp language in the 70's.


For those who don't know (like me): "The Voynich manuscript is an illustrated codex hand-written in an unknown writing system." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voynich_manuscript





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