Why Do Humans Like Speaking To Dogs And Cats?
While talking to animals may seem like a frivolous topic of research, linguists would disagree. There is even a specific term for talking to pets: pet-directed speech. This term broadly refers to anything humans say to a dog, but it’s not entirely random.
Researchers have found that pet-directed speech is similar to another kind of communication humans often use: infant-directed speech, which is often called baby talk or motherese. The primary traits of baby talk are a slow tempo and a higher pitch. Baby talk has been found in many different languages, and studies suggest a correlation between using baby talk and a child’s language acquisition. The idea is that slowing down and exaggerating speech makes it slightly easier for babies to understand the language.
It’s worth mentioning that the benefits of baby talk are somewhat controversial, however. Some cultures don’t use baby talk at all, and the studies that do show the benefits of baby talk are limited in scope. Still, baby talk is a widespread phenomenon, meaning there could be some ingrained reasoning behind it.
The way humans talk to animals might provide some answers on why we love speaking to dogs and cats. As mentioned, pet-directed speech and baby talk have a lot in common. They both are slower, more melodic and of a higher pitch than adult-directed speech. What this means is that humans might naturally adjust their way of talking when they know that the person or animal they’re talking to doesn’t speak your language. Studies have even found that English speakers use some features of infant-directed speech when talking to non-native English speakers (which, yes, can come across as very condescending).
Further evidence for this theory is that there is one difference between infant-directed speech and pet-directed speech: vowel articulation. In usual speech, English speakers replace expected vowels with unstressed schwa vowels. When humans are using baby talk, they hyperarticulate their vowels, meaning they make all the vowels very clear and use less schwas. Hyperarticulation also shows up when native speakers of a language speak to non-native speakers. When talking to animals, though, people don’t hyperarticulate vowels. This might mean that humans only hyperarticulate when there is a chance that the being they’re addressing might respond. Even more weirdly, humans are more likely to hyperarticulate their vowels when talking to parrots rather than dogs or cats, which might be because parrots can technically sometimes respond.
Another factor that comes into play is the gender of the person doing the pet-directed speech. Women are far more likely to talk to their pets than men. And when men do talk to their pets, they’re not as likely to use a weird pet-directed speech voice.
What all this means is that the desire to talk to your pet like it’s a baby is natural, even though it’s not embraced by all people and cultures. Of course, there’s no accounting for calling your dog “Mr. Cutie Tooty Little Scwuffy Muffins” in public.
What does my dog hear when I speak to him?
Before he learns word associations, your dog hears “yadda, yadda, yadda” when you speak to him. It is not what you say, but how you say it that sends him the desired message. If your tone reflects pleasure, love, sadness, disappointment, or worry, your dog will pick up on it. If your volume changes from soft to loud, he will pick up on that, too. Dogs respond to certain intonations and volumes, regardless of what is being said. For example, if you speak at a regular volume, then suddenly shout, your dog will know that something is up and he should pay attention. Similarly, your dog detects tonal changes from happy to demanding, or sad to cheerful.
What volumes and tones can a dog distinguish?
Distinguishing volume is fairly simple for people and dogs alike. You can whisper, speak softly, talk at a conversational volume, or outright shout! The differences in intonation are a little more subtle. There are five common distinguishing tones used in dog training. Here is what your dog understands when you change the tone of voice:
1. Cheerful (high volume, high pitch) – Cheerful tones often sound silly and playful. Speaking to your dog in a cheerful voice will tell him that you are proud of his behavior or that you want to play. Your dog may respond by perking his ears or wagging his tail. And he will learn to associate a particular behavior with a happy owner. “Good dog!” will tell him he really did “good” when he fetched the morning paper.
2. Disappointed (low volume, low pitch) – This tone of voice commands attention, especially when accompanied by a frown and tells your dog that you disapprove of a particular behavior. Your dog may respond by lowering his head and tail. Likewise, he will soon learn that “Not nice” means he should not chew your slippers.
3. Soft and reassuring (low volume, high pitch) – A soothing tone of voice expresses affection and caring and is often used when bonding with your dog. Think of how you sound when trying to comfort a baby. Saying “Sweet pup” when petting your dog tells him that you really love him.
4. Firm (low volume and low pitch) Commands or corrections given with a firm tone get a dog’s attention. Even though you are still your dog’s best friend, he respects this tone of voice and realizes that he had better listen now! If you say, “Stay”, he should do just that.
5. Caution – (high volume and high or low pitch) When faced with a dangerous situation, a sudden command will get your dog’s immediate attention. Use this tone only in emergencies when you want your dog to stop in his tracks. If you overuse this tone, it loses its effect. When approaching traffic, your dog should freeze when you shout, “Stop!”
My Dog Has a Pure Heart #shorts #dog
We humans love to talk to our pets, even if we haven’t gotten a single verbal response in thousands of years. Animals don’t have to respond to let us know they’re listening, though. Research has found that some animals, including dogs, can understand a certain amount of human language. But beyond just the words people use, there’s another odd feature of speaking to dogs and cats: the weird voices we use.
People speak to animals in all different ways, from the very cartoonish to the very normal (as in, just using your normal voice). There are a few common vocal adaptations people make, though, like higher pitch, pitch variation and slower speech. What is it about animals that makes us want to talk this way, though? And does changing our voice actually have any effect on our pets?