A single formant explicates the ubiquity of “meow”
Across languages, the species–typical vocalization by domes-tic cats (Felis catus silvestris) is transcribed similarly, typicallycorresponding to [miau:] or [waU:]. Such consistent and ubiqui-tous cross-linguistic transcription is apparently onomatopoetic.However, in humans, these qualities make unique use of thetongue; in comparison, most nonhuman mammals do not ap-pear to employ their tongues wh