Cover Page
The handle http://hdl.handle.net/1887/44267 holds various files of this Leiden University dissertation.
Author: Spierings, M.J.
Title: The music of language : exploring grammar, prosody and rhythm perception in zebra finches and budgerigars
Issue Date: 2016-11-17
The Music of Language
Exploring prosody, rhythm and grammar perception in zebra finches and budgerigars
Michelle Spierings
Spierings, Michelle Johanna The Music of Language
Exploring prosody, rhythm and grammar perception in zebra finches and budgerigars
Dissertation Leiden University
An electronic version of this thesis can be downloaded from:
openacces.leidenuniv.nl
Printed by Ridderprint, Ridderkerk Artwork by Andrea van den Berg Edited by Michelle Spierings
© 2016
The music of language
Exploring prosody, rhythm and grammar perception in zebra finches and budgerigars.
PROEFSCHRIFT
ter verkrijging van
de graad van Doctor aan Universiteit Leiden, op gezag van Rector Magnificus Prof. Mr. C.J.J.M. Stolker
volgens besluit van het College van Promoties te verdedigen op 17 november 2016
klokke 13:45 uur
door
Michelle Johanna Spierings
geboren op 18 juli 1987 te Voorburg, Nederland
Promotiecommissie
Promotor
Prof. dr. C. J. ten Cate Overige leden
Prof. dr. W. T. Fitch, University of Vienna Prof. dr. C. Scharff, Freie Universität Berlin Dr. G. J. L. Beckers, Utrecht University Prof. dr. A. H. Meijer
Prof. dr. H. P. Spaink
Dit onderzoek werd gefinancierd door de Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO), 360.70.452.
Table of contents
Chapter 1 General introduction 9
Chapter 2 Pauses enhance chunk recognition in song element strings 34
by zebra finches. Chapter 3 Zebra finches group tones alternating in pitch as trochees. 54
Chapter 4 Zebra finches are sensitive to prosodic features of human speech. 72 Chapter 5 Can birds perceive rhythmic patterns? A review and experiments 92
on a songbird and a parrot species. Chapter 6 Zebra finches as a model species to understand the roots of 130
rhythm. Chapter 7 Budgerigars and zebra finches differ in how they generalize 140
in an artificial grammar learning experiment. Chapter 8 Thesis summary & General discussion 171
Nederlandse samenvatting 189
Acknowledgements 195
Curriculum Vitae 199
Publications 203
