Speech, from hearing to voicing

Catalog description

Speech, or spoken language, is one of the few basic abilities that set us apart from other animals including our closest primate cousins. Yet, the use of acoustic signals for communication is widespread across a variety of species, from songbirds to primates, orcas, dolphins, and more. Understanding the subject of speech requires knowledge across multiple disciplines including acoustics, anatomy, physiology, cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and linguistics. Moreover, exploring the evolution of vocal communication across animal species yields broader insights into every facet of human speech. This course is an introduction to these topics and explains how events within these domains interact to bring about communication by speech. Prerequisite: None Fulfillment: Neural Science elective.