@wtg whoops, I obviously didn’t read to the end! But I’m glad they got to that point. Interaction is always the key, and that’s why I decided to focus on sociolinguistics rather than other subdisciplines of linguistics.
But the way, I like that that article you linked ended with the stuff about songbirds:
Even in songbirds, it appears that learning from an adult is often a necessary step in developing the ability to vocalize and communicate. Baby male Zebra Finches deprived of an adult “tutor” will still learn to sing, but not the in same way as their peers (In case you’re wondering, just listening to a recording doesn’t work as well. Yes, scientists have tested this.) Like many songbirds, male Zebra Finches utilize their singing skills in order to attract a mate. If they don’t get the chance to learn from an older mentor, their resulting sub-par singing skills may even mean they are less likely to attract the attention of the lady Zebra Finches. Interestingly however, one study found that when isolated Zebra Finches were allowed to raise young of their own, successive generations gradually altered the song. Within 4 or 5 generations, the descendants of these isolated birds were producing songs very similar to those of their wild counterparts.
I have always thought this was a fascinating discovery and sort of knocks human exceptionalism down a few rungs. (Insert critical comment about Chomsky here).
Also, the part I bolded aligns so clearly with findings from human first language acquisition. And this is another reason why all the hype around using AI in educational roles really bugs me.
