Anthropophony

Anthropophony is the term used in acoustic ecology and related fields to describe the sounds produced by human activity within an environment. It is part of a broader framework that also includes biophony (sounds produced by living organisms) and geophony (non-biological natural sounds such as wind and water). The concept helps scholars distinguish between different sources of sound in a landscape and to study how human activity shapes the acoustic environment.

Anthropophony encompasses a wide range of sounds generated by people and human infrastructure. Common examples include traffic, public transportation, construction machinery, industrial processes, crowds, conversations, music, and other forms of deliberate or incidental noise. The category can include both desired sounds, such as performances or organized public events, and undesired ones, such as persistent nuisance noise. Anthropophony is not inherently negative; its interpretation depends on context, perception, and cultural norms.

In practice, researchers analyze anthropophony to understand how soundscapes reflect social life, urban design, and cultural practices. Methods often involve measuring sound levels, characterizing timbre and rhythm, and mapping the spatial distribution of human sounds within a city or region. The study of anthropophony has implications for urban planning, public health, and environmental policy, informing strategies to manage noise, preserve acoustic heritage, and design more livable acoustic environments while recognizing the role of human sound in everyday life.