Research into non-human great ape language has involved teaching chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans to communicate with human beings and with each other using sign language, physical tokens, and lexigrams; see Yerkish. Some primatologists argue that the primates' use of these tools indicates their ability to use "language", although this is not consistent with some definitions of that term.
Read more about Great Ape Language: Questions in Animal Language Research, Apes That Demonstrate Understanding, Primate Use of Sign Language, Plastic Tokens, Criticisms of Primate Language Research, Great Ape Language in Fiction
Famous quotes containing the words ape and/or language:
“You have made your way from worm to man, and much in you is still worm. Once you were apes, and even now man is still more ape than any ape.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
““What may this mean? Language of Man pronounced
By tongue of brute, and human sense expressed!
The first at least of these I thought denied
To beasts, whom God on their creation-day
Created mute to all articulate sound;
The latter I demur, for in their looks
Much reason, and in their actions, oft appears.”
—John Milton (1608–1674)