Washoe the chimp

Do you think the language is specific to a species?

Do you think the non-human can be taught a language?

If not, why? Isn’t related to the brains?

According to Dr. Alias our psycholinguistic lecturer one way to better understand the apparently unique creative potential of human language is to contrast it with system of communication found elsewhere in nature.

So our group was asked to present this topic next Tuesday. After go on with some readings and discussion with bunda, baljit and dalila , I think it’s such a wonderful topic to share with you all folks, do you have ever came across with the names of Washoe, Sarah, Lana, Koko and et al. All of them are the chimps dat used by the researchers to make the experiment whether the non-human primate can acquire the language like us.

They used various way in order to find proves, as Washoe, Gardner used ASL (American Sign Language) to be taught. Washoe is a female chimp. She first learned a bit of American sign language (ASL) in a research project in Nevada and had a vocabulary of about 250 words, although critics questioned if she was actually using language. Washoe also taught sign language to three younger chimps who remain at the institute, Central Washington spokeswoman Becky Watson said. They are Tatu, 31, Loulis, 29, and Dar, 31.

Primate researcher Jane Goodall, in Roger Fouts' book "Next of Kin," noted the importance of the work with Washoe. "Roger, through his ongoing conversations with Washoe and her extended family, has opened a window into the cognitive workings of a chimpanzee's mind that adds new dimension to our understanding," Goodall was quoted as saying

But claims about Washoe's language skills were disputed by scientists who believed that language is unique to humans. Among those who doubted that chimps could use language were linguist Noam Chomsky and Harvard scientist Steven Pinker.

Chomsky contended that the neural requirements for language developed in humans after the evolutionary split between humans and other primates. Pinker said primates simply learn to perform certain acts in order to receive rewards, and do not acquire true language.

The Gardners said they tried to make Washoe's environment as similar as possible to what a human infant with deaf parents would experience.

Researchers communicated with Washoe by sign language, minimizing the use of spoken words.

The Gardners said that, for example, when Washoe entered their bathroom, she made the sign for "toothbrush," when she saw one.

Washoe also used the sign for "more" in many different situations. At one point, she used the sign for "flower" to express the idea of "smell." After additional training, Washoe was eventually able to differentiate between "smell" and "flower," her supporters said. Read more:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-491089/Washoe-speaking-chimp-dies-aged-42.html#ixzz0LPSESPx1