Monkeys, which people are taught to speak

For many centuries mankind has been assured that the animals speak the languages ​​of their animal in exactly the way people are. Then he hesitated. And then we began to attempt to teach animals to speak human. Dogs, cats, monkeys ... but succeeded only apes. And it taught a lot of people.

Monkeys, which people are taught to speak

While the experiment after experiment in which monkeys had to learn to pronounce the words, failed, it looked as expected. Meaningful speech - a sign of intelligence, a person would be a bit uncomfortable to find that his superiority as an exceptionally intelligent species is questionable.

But comprehending one of the failed experiments with chimpanzees Vicki training, the researchers suddenly realized that focused on its ability to speech and did not pay attention to the fact that it is fine to express their feelings and desires gestures, and sometimes pictures. Vicki liked to ride on the car and pulled out of the image brought magazines machines when I wanted to ask her a ride. Voice chimpanzees apparatus is not well suited for speech, but because people do not always talking voice. For centuries, people have used sign language as an auxiliary (for example, the Indians of North America), or as a primary (people with dumb).

Monkeys, which people are taught to speak

If the voice box monkey is not adapted to the speech, was to find out whether her brain capacity is enough for gestural and written language and how this speech will be "human", with the understanding of sentence structure, allegory, time.

The monkeys, who were able to talk hands

First monkey to learn sign language, was a chimpanzee named Washoe. When teaching it how to watch people speaking in sign language, and received an explanation as to show a particular word. Having learned about three hundred and fifty marks, Washoe communicate at ease at all interested in her subject. Basically, of course, it was the food and games.

Monkeys, which people are taught to speak

It soon became clear that the Washoe capable of allegories. Not knowing the exact words for some object or animal, she described it, combining two other words - such compound words found in many human languages, including Russian (for example, "bat"). So, not knowing gesture for a duck, Washoe called it a water bird. Learning that a gesture represents the opening of the door, the same gesture she had requested the opening of a bottle or box. Finally, she guessed swear word "dirty".

In addition, Washoe clearly understood English well by ear. One day she surprised the scientists saw a flying plane and asked her to ride on it. Because she never talked about airplanes in class, understand that it is not a bird, Washoe could, just by listening to the conversations of others.

Monkeys, which people are taught to speak

Coco (died 2018) loved cats and one day long begging for himself alone.

We were able to sign language and other apes. Pioneers for their steels Chatek orangutan, bonobo Kanzi, gorilla Koko. Language vocabulary and language development have been different. Baby-led bonobos with small compared with the rest of the monkeys head. "Simply" Chatek all was, he did not like, and not particularly understand conversations on abstract themes. If at first the monkeys were taught directly, then later they began to excel. For example, objects called aloud in English, and some time later taught gesture, binding it to the word in English, rather than the subject. It turned out that way works too.

Monkeys, which people are taught to speak

Monkeys, who have learned to read and write

To understand whether monkeys tell their teachers or really just interpretations, like pifiyam their random punctuation, scientists have decided to test the ability of monkeys to read and write - if not the letter, at least special abstract symbols. Communication using character sets were nestestvennym, uncomfortable, unlike that with which a monkey could encounter in nature. For him, it was necessary to lay out the cards or in a row, or click on buttons with symbols. But we deal with it and guinea chimpanzee Sarah, and young bonobos Kanji with Panbanishey.

Monkeys, which people are taught to speak

Furthermore, it was found that read and write bonobos can learn just as easy, in passing, like human babies. Symbols mother tried to teach Kanji and Panbanishi. Kanji while simply hovering near and at some point began to perform the task, seeing that the mother can not cope with them.

Monkeys, who have taught themselves

Say, doing the job of people who for this tasty food, not the same thing as to maintain the language and culture of their own environment. I wonder whether the "speaking" monkeys communicate with each other and whether they are able to transfer their skills further?

Monkeys, which people are taught to speak

Coco always wanted children and loved kittens. By the gorilla Koko have settled in turn two males. The first was Michael (aka Michael). Michael's mother, along with other relatives killed before his eyes on the meat. Cub rescued and taken to Austria, where he began to teach sign language. The process went well, and people decided that they would be with Coco great couple. Alas, for all the tender affection Koko and Michael not only conceived a child, but did not even try to do it. They probably do not even know how. But happy to communicate with each other.

The second male was nonverbal, and Coco was playing with it just as if playing with animals like dogs or cats. By the way, she loved kittens.

Monkeys, which people are taught to speak

When Washoe was among nonverbal chimpanzees, she beckoned male mute during estrus phrase "Come hug!". Soon, the male also used this phrase. When Washoe still living alone and she was given to the education of the cub, she immediately began to teach him the phrase "come here!" Consciously and very hard (it realizes a mother). Then she taught him in sign said, showing them the correct folding his fingers. Washoe ended the experiment with the fact that now in America there is a whole farm-speaking chimpanzee.

Orangutan Chatek escape attempt, even with the hostage-student, was exiled to the zoo. For eleven years he was sitting in a small cage, until it was transferred to better conditions. Out of boredom, he tried to teach in sign language the guard to have someone to talk to.

The man taught a monkey to speak?

Why cats can be taught to understand a lot of words, copy human intonation, even publish some lucid signals, but does not construct sentences and do not discuss feelings? What's in a brain apes have this, it is possible to switch to speech recognition?

Monkeys, which people are taught to speak

Modern techniques have allowed to find out that the chimpanzee behind it responds the same part of the brain that for the recognition of facial expressions. And with bonobos and orangutans everything was even more interesting. The observations helped determine what they are and to human use sign languages, however, is much simpler in structure and vocabulary. For example, orangutans Dictionary has only sixty-sign words.

It turns out, the man thinks of himself too much, believing that only he is able to come up with it, to understand over time (all chimpanzees perfectly distinguished past and future), use of allegories ...

But the fact that a number of us live like us sentient beings, does not mean that the Earth can expect the fate of Planet of the Apes. People are much more than all the chimpanzees in the world, even with the bonobos, gorillas and orangutans. Develop the monkey is not on the level of the human child's preschool. And finally, we are just at times better armed.