questionmark Posted August 14, 2015 #1 Share Posted August 14, 2015 MADISON, Wis., Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Ever since the 1940s, when a couple attempting to raise a pair of chimpanzees like children failed to impart the ability of speech, scientists have assumed language to be a uniquely human evolutionary adaptation. The thinking went that apes have little to no control over vocalizations and breathing-related behaviors. What sounds they do make, researchers posited, are largely involuntary -- a reflexive reaction to their environment. But a new study by Marcus Perlman, now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin, suggests apes aren't as far removed from the ability to speak as scientists think. Read more 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExpandMyMind Posted August 14, 2015 #2 Share Posted August 14, 2015 I wonder what their first word will be? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Commander Travis Posted August 14, 2015 #3 Share Posted August 14, 2015 May not be far from talking? You can't shut them up. There's buildings all over the world full of them talking to their hearts' content; the Houses of Parliament; the United States Congress; the European Parliament .... 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
questionmark Posted August 14, 2015 Author #4 Share Posted August 14, 2015 I wonder what their first word will be? "NO!!!!" 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeder Posted August 14, 2015 #5 Share Posted August 14, 2015 Surely their own communication, grunts, screams, kisses, hugs, body language, will suffice? Besides, if they do start speaking, wonder what language it'll be... unlike mans I expect... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashotep Posted August 14, 2015 #6 Share Posted August 14, 2015 Are humans smarter than apes, sometimes I'm not sure about that. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExpandMyMind Posted August 14, 2015 #7 Share Posted August 14, 2015 Are humans smarter than apes, sometimes I'm not sure about that. Haha, that video definitely is not for real, but it's funny. Also, I wouldn't bet money on this having never happened somewhere in the world. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Four Winds Posted August 15, 2015 #8 Share Posted August 15, 2015 (edited) I love Koko, such an amazing creature. Apes lack vocal chords as we all know, grunts and breathing does not equal speech and is very far from talking. I would love to have a conversation with Koko, but that would involve me learning sign language, not Koko learning to speak. Edited August 15, 2015 by Razer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrisonerX Posted August 15, 2015 #9 Share Posted August 15, 2015 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Unicorn Posted August 15, 2015 #10 Share Posted August 15, 2015 (edited) I followed Koko hoping it would make general public more aware just because creatures have different forms of communications it doesn't make them less consciously aware beings with emotion. The grey parrot in another study had a language advantage but even it was accused of just imitation and training when it created its own words and crude sentences. When I was in elementary school when bible study was still permitted. I had the same teacher say, animals have no souls or feelings. They are instinctive in reactions, they can only mimic or be trained. I said Aren't you just training us to do the same, how can you show animals don't think in their own way? I had animals as pets, she didn't. Many would fit her category but I knew others didn't. Times have changed and people are more willing to see the other creature as sentenant life in their own ways. I would like to see Koko or ape like her, who apparently understands human language have artifical vocal cord surgery. It could be done with the things ENTs do for cancer patients now. I don't think it would be that cruel for the animals raised as almost human in interaction. If it's trying so hard to form human like grunts,it would be delighted to be able to expand its vocal ability to mimick human speech without such frustration and difficulty of lacking the necessary anatomy. Edited August 15, 2015 by White Unicorn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreatBeliever Posted August 15, 2015 #11 Share Posted August 15, 2015 Will they still be at zoos? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Unicorn Posted August 15, 2015 #12 Share Posted August 15, 2015 (edited) Will they still be at zoos? I'm sure, dominant species or race will always keep zoos or even reservations for the less intellectual races or species. Even ants herd their aphids, does make the aphid less deserving of a peaceful coexistence. Man and other species should be in a mutual coexistence that has a respect for even the lesser ones. Sadly there's a very small line between reckless exploitation and peaceful respect and coexistence. Just saying we as the dominant should be good benefactors to the lesser ones. Edited August 15, 2015 by White Unicorn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeder Posted August 15, 2015 #13 Share Posted August 15, 2015 The Human Chimp, or Humanzee...fascinating story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infernal Gnu Posted August 15, 2015 #14 Share Posted August 15, 2015 His first words will be: "GET YOUR STINKING HANDS OFF ME, YOU DAMNED DIRTY HUMANS!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imaginarynumber1 Posted August 15, 2015 #15 Share Posted August 15, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hammerclaw Posted August 16, 2015 #16 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Kree-gah mangani! Tand bundolo Oprah! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellapenella Posted August 16, 2015 #17 Share Posted August 16, 2015 ROFL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookemeister Posted August 17, 2015 #18 Share Posted August 17, 2015 may i suggest that if they do speak they will make a hell of a lot more sense that some people i know....in fact even now that they dont speak they talk more sense .. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJNYC Posted August 17, 2015 #19 Share Posted August 17, 2015 I followed Koko hoping it would make general public more aware just because creatures have different forms of communications it doesn't make them less consciously aware beings with emotion. The grey parrot in another study had a language advantage but even it was accused of just imitation and training when it created its own words and crude sentences. When I was in elementary school when bible study was still permitted. I had the same teacher say, animals have no souls or feelings. They are instinctive in reactions, they can only mimic or be trained. I said Aren't you just training us to do the same, how can you show animals don't think in their own way? I had animals as pets, she didn't. Many would fit her category but I knew others didn't. Times have changed and people are more willing to see the other creature as sentenant life in their own ways. I would like to see Koko or ape like her, who apparently understands human language have artifical vocal cord surgery. It could be done with the things ENTs do for cancer patients now. I don't think it would be that cruel for the animals raised as almost human in interaction. If it's trying so hard to form human like grunts,it would be delighted to be able to expand its vocal ability to mimick human speech without such frustration and difficulty of lacking the necessary anatomy. Wow, I was right with you until the surgery part. How would you like it if they wanted to make you more like them and performed surgery on you? You just got through saying they are "sentient", yet you want to do research on them. Sorry, but that's disgusting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJNYC Posted August 17, 2015 #20 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Kree-gah mangani! Tand bundolo Oprah! Thanks so much for sharing this. Fascinating. I hope when they do take over, they do a better job than we have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandfunkrailroad Posted August 17, 2015 #21 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Oh well back in the 70's when i was a kid living on Curacao, we had a chimp in te local zoo who begged for cigarettes, visitors would supply him with them and he was smoking them Marlboro's all day long, unfortunately he died of cancer somewhere during the beginning of the eighties! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Unicorn Posted August 17, 2015 #22 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Wow, I was right with you until the surgery part. How would you like it if they wanted to make you more like them and performed surgery on you? You just got through saying they are "sentient", yet you want to do research on them. Sorry, but that's disgusting. Animal researchers perform a lot worse medical experiments then that, and Koko and offspring are studies. I wonder more Why it hasn't been done than supporting it. Most vocal cord augmentation and implants are not painful and the ones frustrated from lacking anatomy and trying perform the impossible seems less cruel to me. I'm weird because I wouldn't support it unless ape handsigned it wanted to do something to help it talk! Same as they do for us human patients. Maybe I seem harsh not to think it would be so cruel because I've been a research subject that had several manipulative surgeries myself. Vocal included since I was born with some genetic differences then the norm. But really I don't generally condone animal research unless its results bring a needed benefit. If an ape could speak without signing, I would think that would make the public more compassionate to its species and others. They couldn't dismiss it as training and hopefully it would bring a good changes for other animals in research and more respect for their quality of life and right to existence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clare256 Posted August 17, 2015 #23 Share Posted August 17, 2015 So what does that imply about the Broca area of the brain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benfornow Posted August 17, 2015 #24 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Yes but how far in time: 2, 25 or 25,000 years or more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shiloh17 Posted August 21, 2015 #25 Share Posted August 21, 2015 I wonder what their first word will be? Hey, what's goin on bubba? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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