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I have a parrot. He can talk, both contextually and randomly (the former much less often, but does still happen). Not sure what your criteria for "talking" are

by junon 4y ago

I have a parrot. He can talk, both contextually and randomly (the former much less often, but does still happen). Not sure what your criteria for "talking" are but, by all of my own measures, my parrot sounds pretty much exactly like me in most cases, and like a child in most others. The words are clearly distinguishable, understandable, and in multiple languages (he lives in a multi-language household). So, yes. Parrots can talk. Can they converse? Sometimes loosely, usually not at all. But they can very much talk. If you mean that parrots do not understand the words and construction they are speaking, sure. But at that point you're splitting hairs. My parrot says "do you want it?" when he wants a treat. He says "good night" when he wants to go to bed. He says "c'mon!" when he wants me to come to him. He absolutely talks. Weird hill to die on.

Izmaki 4y ago
My parrot will on every occasion that it stumbles, let out a surprised "Oh!" followed by a "Good boy!" when he gets back up again. I didn't sit around all day teaching him to say "Oh!" whenever I pushed him off the branch and praise him when he got back up again. I also don't tell myself I'm a "Good boy!" whenever I get back up from a stumble (which thankfully doesn't happen often at home to begin with). I'm sure my parrot doesn't know what "Oh!" or "Good boy" means, that is what the words mean in a human context. I'm also sure that he doesn't know what snapping finger noise followed by a stern "Ah-ah!" means, but he has used that on one occasion when he was mad at me and wanted to tell me to back off if I treasured the skin on my hands. (A learned behaviour from his first and previous owner). ...but at the end of the day, speech is in many ways "just" a series of correct sounds at correct times in correct situations, right? Does my parrot have a conversation with me? Well yes, sometimes, but not with words. Does my parrot mimic human words and phrases? Also yes, and sometimes in the most perfect situations possible.
- yazzku 4y ago
  From your description, it does sound like your Parrot has some understanding of meaning, much like dogs do. Not that they understand the grammar or can make out the individual words, but it seems like it can correlate <real world event> with <sounds>. <get back up> -> "Good boy"; <caught you right where I wanted you> -> "<snap> + Ah-ha!". Similarly, a dog may not understand that "sit" is an English word, but it can clearly understand "sit" -> <get that ass on the floor> (or whatever language you used to train them, they couldn't care less). That association is meaning, even if they are not fully acquainted with the works of Shakespeare.
vips7L 4y ago
My parrot will take a little nibble of you and then chuckle to himself cause he knows it strikes fear into you. And he’ll say “whatchya doin?” when he wants your attention. I love these little tyrants.

by junon 4y ago

Izmaki 4y ago

My parrot will on every occasion that it stumbles, let out a surprised "Oh!" followed by a "Good boy!" when he gets back up again. I didn't sit around all day teaching him to say "Oh!" whenever I pushed him off the branch and praise him when he got back up again. I also don't tell myself I'm a "Good boy!" whenever I get back up from a stumble (which thankfully doesn't happen often at home to begin with). I'm sure my parrot doesn't know what "Oh!" or "Good boy" means, that is what the words mean in a human context. I'm also sure that he doesn't know what snapping finger noise followed by a stern "Ah-ah!" means, but he has used that on one occasion when he was mad at me and wanted to tell me to back off if I treasured the skin on my hands. (A learned behaviour from his first and previous owner). ...but at the end of the day, speech is in many ways "just" a series of correct sounds at correct times in correct situations, right? Does my parrot have a conversation with me? Well yes, sometimes, but not with words. Does my parrot mimic human words and phrases? Also yes, and sometimes in the most perfect situations possible.

yazzku 4y ago
From your description, it does sound like your Parrot has some understanding of meaning, much like dogs do. Not that they understand the grammar or can make out the individual words, but it seems like it can correlate <real world event> with <sounds>. <get back up> -> "Good boy"; <caught you right where I wanted you> -> "<snap> + Ah-ha!". Similarly, a dog may not understand that "sit" is an English word, but it can clearly understand "sit" -> <get that ass on the floor> (or whatever language you used to train them, they couldn't care less). That association is meaning, even if they are not fully acquainted with the works of Shakespeare.

vips7L 4y ago

My parrot will take a little nibble of you and then chuckle to himself cause he knows it strikes fear into you. And he’ll say “whatchya doin?” when he wants your attention. I love these little tyrants.