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188
The Speech of Monkeys
·
R. L. Garner
140
I
find
that
human
laughter
coincides
in
nearly
every
point
with
that
of
monkeys.
They
differ
in
volume
and
pitch.
By
the
aid
of
the
phonograph
I
have
been
able
to
analyse
the
vowel
sounds
of
human
speech,
which
I
find
to
be
compound,
and
some
of
them
contain
as
many
as
three
distinct
syllables
of
unlike
sounds.
From
the
vowel
basis
I
have
succeeded
in
developing
certain
consonant
elements,
both
initial
and
final,
from
which
I
have
deduced
the
belief
that
the
most
complex
sounds
of
consonants
are
developed
from
the
simple
vowel
basis,
somewhat
like
chemical
compounds
result
from
the
union
of
simple
elements.
Without
describing
in
detail
the
results,
I
shall
mention
some
simple
experiments
which
have
given
me
some
very
strange
phenomena.
I
dictate
to
the
phonograph
a
vowel
in
different
keys
while
the
cylinder
rotates
at
a
given
rate
of
speed.
I
then
adjust
the
speed
to
a
certain
higher
or
lower
rate
and
follow
the
results.
By
reversing
the
motion
of
the
cylinder
the
sounds
are
reduced
to
their
fundamental
state.
By
this
means
we
eliminate
all
familiar
intonation,
and
disassociate
it
from
any
meaning
which
will
sway
the
mind,
and
in
this
way
it
can
be
studied
to
advantage.
[Sidenote:
THE
SOUND
WAVES]
At
a
given
rate
of
speed
I
have
taken
the
record
of
certain
sounds
made
by
a
monkey,
and
by
reducing
the
rate
of
speed
from
two
hundred
revolutions
per
minute
to
forty,
it
can
be
seen
that
I
increased
the
intervals
between
what
is
called
the
sound
waves
and
magnified
the
wave
itself
fivefold,
at
the
same
time
reducing
the
pitch
in
like
degree,
and
by
this
means
I
could
detect
the
slightest
shades
of
modulation.
I
may
remind
you
here
that
in
this
process
all
parts
of
the
sound
are
magnified
alike
in
all
directions,
so
that
instead
of
obtaining
five
times
the
length,
as
it
were,
of
the
sound
unit
or
interval,
we
obtain
the
cube
of
five
times
the
normal
length
of
every
unit
of
the
sound.
The
slightest
variation
of
tension
in
the
vocal
chords
may
be
detected,
and
every
part
of
the
sound
compared
to
every
other
part.
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