科学家破译大熊猫13种语言密码
Scientists decode language of panda
Can you imagine giant pandas baa like sheep to say "I love you" and warble a cheerful "I do" when wooed by a suitor, and bark like a dog when they are furious?
你能想象熊猫说"我爱你"时是"咩咩咩",说"我愿意"时像鸟叫,而说"我很生气"时又像狗叫吗？
Researchers there have decoded 13 different kinds of giant panda vocalizations in a surprising new insight into the private life of the reclusive creatures.
长期从事大熊猫人工繁育的中国保护大熊猫中心的专家们研究发现,大熊猫至少会用13种不同的声音来表达不同的意思,而"破译"了这些"猫言猫语"无疑将帮助专家们进一步了解大熊猫生活习性和心理,走进他们的世界.
The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda has been working on a panda linguistics project since 2010. Scientists first made recordings of pandas at the center, vocalizations between cubs and adults in various situations, such as when they were eating, mating, nursing, fighting and so on, said Zhang Hemin, head of the center. Then they collected a large amount of data on pandas' voices and activities, and analyzed the voiceprints. "We managed to decode some panda language and the results are quite interesting," Zhang said.
中国保护大熊猫研究中心主任、卧龙自然保护区管理局局长张和民介绍,在2010年,来自音乐之乡奥地利维也纳的专家和中心合作,已经通过录音和频谱分析,破译了部分大熊猫的语言密码,听懂了它们在采食、求偶、照顾宝宝等不同情景下的"喜怒哀乐".近年来,中心继续与其他国内外的学术研究机构合作继续"破译"工程,到目前已初见成效.
Panda cubs can barely vocalize at all except to say things like "Gee-Gee" (I'm hungry), "Wow-Wow" (Not happy!) or "Coo-Coo" (Nice!).
专家们发现,刚出生的熊猫宝宝和人类宝宝一样,基本只能发出"吱吱"、"哇哇"和"咕咕"这三种简单的叫声.一般情况下"吱吱"表示"我饿了","哇哇"表示"我不爽了",而"咕咕"则是表示愉悦和舒适感受时发出的满意叫声.
"Adult giant pandas usually are solitary, so the only language teacher they have is their own mother," the researcher said. When they grow a little, cubs learn how to express themselves by roaring, barking, shouting, squeaking, bleating and chirping.
