What has been done in the realm of Primate Language studies?
There are many reports of Apes learning American Sign Language (ASL) and other
variations of sign language both through imitation and instructive learning. In
order to consider a sign a learned and understood aspect to an Ape's vocabulary,
scientific observers must see the use of such signs on multiple occasions and by multiple,
non-biased, observers. These research projects have, however, gone farther by not
only showing the cognitive skill used by Primates in learning sign, but in their ability
to combine signs to make multiple sentences and apply different meanings to these signs
without the interaction of human training. Recalling that we have already assumed
Primates do not posses the physical ability to use vocal 'humanesq' language, much like a
deaf child, they communicate with gesture. I will summarize a few of the studies
that have taken place in the past and what has been shown by these projects.
Two of the earlier Language studies in 1966 involved a family
of Chimpanzees. Washoe Pan Satyrus, an adult female chimpanzee and
her adopted son Loulis. Washoe was raised by her adoptive human
parents Allen and Beatrice Gardner and taught ASL through standard training and imitation.
Washoe was initially unable to learn ASL as a deaf child may and had to have her
hands initially shaped or molded into ASL signs. Quickly however she was then
able to learn and expand her vocabulary. Washoe is noted as being possibly the
first chimpanzee to use ASL and create sentences (signs) on her own behalf without human
intervention. Washoe is noted for spontaneously combining signs to form new meaning.
- "This spontaneous combination of signs seems similar to the ability of human
children to connect words in sentences to which they have never specifically been
exposed." *Dr. Robert Cook
In 1970, Washoe moved with Roger and Deborah Fouts to the
University of Oklahoma. Fouts began a detailed continued study on Washoe to
research language knowledge and see if Chimpanzees had the ability to pass on learned
language skills to their offspring.
Ten months after his birth in 1978, Loulis, was adopted by
Washoe. The unique note about Loilis was that without human training or
intervention, he was taught and could fluently use 50 plus signs passed down from Washoe
and other surrounding chimps. Loulis, with Washoe and many other chimpanzees, still
live at Central Washington University and take place in the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute, a
program designed to study communication and language skills in Primates.
*Dr. Robert
Cook, Animal Cognition and Learning. 1998
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