Do they know what words mean?

[paper_lantern]

Do you believe some parrots learn the meaning of the words they learn to say? For instance, Furbie says "Yum yum yum" when he's hungry, but also, if I give him a treat he says "yum" if he likes it, and nothing if he doesn't like it.

I also taught him to say "Fais caca" that's basically french for "go poop" and he says it when he needs to do his business, so I know to move him to an area where he can do it instead of on the furniture.

What do you guys think? Do your birds talk in context?

[pennyandrocky]

when i say no they stop,when i say come here they come to me,when i say night night cookie mya flies to her cage.so i believe they do.

[marie83]

I honestly believe they do know meanings, not with every word or action they do but certainly some of them.
Ollie learned how to make kissing noises and he was very generous with his "kisses" towards both me and my partner. When Ollie got sick last year and I had to start giving him antibiotics regulary he stopped blowing me kisses but continued to do so to my other half. Only recently since I've gained back his trust he has started giving me kisses again.
Ollie will also blow kisses to his favorite foods but not other food he eats, nobody in this house has ever blown kisses at their food, his food or any food, so where did he get that habit from? It's almost like he is saying "hello sunflower seed, (apple, grape etc), your my favorite, I love you soooo much", I've noticed the higher the item of food is on his list of favorites the more overboard he goes with the kisses when he gets that food.

I also believe there is is difference between association and context though. Using the example given ablove about a bird letting it's owner know when it wants to go to the toilet, I think that is association. The bird has learned those particular words have always been said when he goes to the toilet so he has learned to associate the feeling of needing to go and now says those words.

[cml]

If they associate a word with a specific thing or behavior, and also remember it, how is that different from how humans learn when we grow up?

[marie83]

It's not but I believe thats association not context. I could well be wrong but say a young child is given a biscuit every day, sometimes with a drink, sometimes not and is told 'biscuit time' the child will associate being given a biscuit with those words. When the child heard two adults talking about having a drink the child might say will you have a biscuit with that? at which point the child has learned to put the word biscuit in context.

The story about Ollie making kissing noises above, if I had made a kissing noise every time he got food then I would expect him to associate that noise with food and perhaps start imitating it when I got the treats out or gave him a meal. The thing is nobody has taught him to maker kissing noises with his favorites and the more he loves something the more crazy he goes with the kisses. It may be coincidence but I honestly believe he knows that kisses mean a love for something (obviously they dont always but you know what I'm saying).
Whereas we said the word perch each time he went on it, eventually he associated the noise the word perch makes with sitting on his perch, if we say perch now he associates that is where we would like him to be.

Sorry these are quite bad examples, can't think of any others at the moment.

[liz]

They learn like children.
Rambo was treated like a child by his previouse owner. I always thought he mimiked words. The first week I had him I was calling my little dog, Lola. She was stuborn and did not want to come inside. I kept calling "Lola come're" and Rambo was calling "Lola come're". When we got tired of calling, Rambo turned to me and said "Lola not come're". Since then he has perfected his vocabulary and will say won't. He has full knowledge of his words and can rearange them to make sentences to tell us or ask us. I am amazed at him.

Myrtle came with "hello Myrtle" which was copied. She copied Rambo's words but I did not think she knew them. Just like a baby would copy words. One day I used one of Rambo's questions, "you got a problem?" She answered "I don't know". Surprized me. Myrtle still does a lot of baby talk and blah blah blah but she is learning.

[pennyandrocky]

mya will change the tone of her voice to fit, like if i'm cleaning she'll say "what are you doing!"but if i stop petting her she'll say"what are you doing?"with an attitude like how dare you stop.

[Graybeard]

Great thread!

[DanielA]

Great thread!