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Iowa: Two Bonobos Using Complex Language...

 
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Gopher



Joined: 04 Jun 2005

PostPosted: Sat Jul 08, 2006 2:29 pm    Post subject: Iowa: Two Bonobos Using Complex Language... Reply with quote

Quote:
Two bonobo chimpanzees in Iowa are changing how scientists think about the nature of human language.

Kanzi and Panbanisha understand thousands of words. They use sentences, talk on the phone, and they like to gossip. In short, they use language in many of the same ways humans do.

That's not supposed to be possible...


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5503685

Timeline...

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5541370
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Rteacher



Joined: 23 May 2005
Location: Western MA, USA

PostPosted: Sat Jul 08, 2006 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Human language research may have "evolved" or developed, but there is no clear evidence that human language evolved from animal or (more specifically) chimpanzee language. It's more logical that each species has its own peculiar language, that more developed (in terms of consciousness) species have more developed language(s), and that more developed species can learn other languages when necessary... Natural selection may play a role in the development of language within particular species - not in developing language for an "evolved" new species...
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Ya-ta Boy



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994

PostPosted: Sat Jul 08, 2006 7:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fascinating article. Thanks for posting it.

I found these listed on Amazon:

Kanzi : The Ape at the Brink of the Human Mind by Sue Savage-Rumbaugh and Roger Lewin

Apes, Language, and the Human Mind by Sue Savage-Rumbaugh, Stuart G. Shanker, and Talbot J. Taylor

Kanzi's Primal Language : The Cultural Initiation of Primates into Language by Par Segerdahl, William Fields, and Sue Savage-Rumbaugh
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Manner of Speaking



Joined: 09 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 12:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fascinating article - thanks for the post!

MOS
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mithridates



Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency

PostPosted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 2:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I second the thanks. I would have missed that article.
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fiveeagles



Joined: 19 May 2005
Location: Vancouver

PostPosted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 4:19 am    Post subject: Re: Iowa: Two Bonobos Using Complex Language... Reply with quote

[quote="Gopher"]
Quote:
Two bonobo chimpanzees in Iowa are changing how scientists think about the nature of human language.

Kanzi and Panbanisha understand thousands of words. They use sentences, talk on the phone, and they like to gossip. In short, they use language in many of the same ways humans do.

That's not supposed to be possible...


I guess it depends on what you believe,

Balaam's ass talks to him again
Quote:
On the way, Balaam's donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing on the road with a sword in his hand, and the poor monkey turn away. Balaam never saw the angel and he beat the donkey again and again, till she fell down.

Suddenly, God let the donkey speak: "Why did you beat me three times?", the donkey asked. "Because you made a fool out of me", replied Balaam.

Just then, God opened Balaam's eyes. He saw the angel in the road and fell flat in his face. God spoke to Balaam and told him to go to the King, but to bless His people instead of cursing them. And that's what Balaam did:


Also, the serpant talking to Eve, right?

Anyway, I agree, it's great!!
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Ya-ta Boy



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994

PostPosted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 4:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Animals have been talking in books for a long time. Here is one nice example:

Quote:
Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.
"Pooh!" he whispered.
"Yes, Piglet?"
"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw. "I just wanted to be sure of you."


So, yes, maybe this kind of talking does depend on what you believe. But the OP was about real animals really talking in a way that is truly new and unique.
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Nowhere Man



Joined: 08 Feb 2004

PostPosted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 4:53 am    Post subject: ... Reply with quote

Indeed. And it will turn linguistics topsy-turvy if it's accurate.
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Ya-ta Boy



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994

PostPosted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 4:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just one more example of how growing up using steel forks contributes significantly to scientists' intellectual development, not to mention the benefits of eating lots of Iowa sweet corn.

Go Hawkeyes! (And Cyclones, too!)
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fiveeagles



Joined: 19 May 2005
Location: Vancouver

PostPosted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ya-ta Boy wrote:
Animals have been talking in books for a long time. Here is one nice example:

Quote:
Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.
"Pooh!" he whispered.
"Yes, Piglet?"
"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw. "I just wanted to be sure of you."


So, yes, maybe this kind of talking does depend on what you believe. But the OP was about real animals really talking in a way that is truly new and unique.


lol
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EFLtrainer



Joined: 04 May 2005

PostPosted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Youre not going to believe me, but I knew this when I was a kid. It's obvious that there is more going on than just dumb automatic responses.

Glad they're finally finding ways to prove it. Great work.
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Grimalkin



Joined: 22 May 2005

PostPosted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 3:09 am    Post subject: Re: Iowa: Two Bonobos Using Complex Language... Reply with quote

[quote="fiveeagles"]
Gopher wrote:
Quote:
Two bonobo chimpanzees in Iowa are changing how scientists think about the nature of human language.

Kanzi and Panbanisha understand thousands of words. They use sentences, talk on the phone, and they like to gossip. In short, they use language in many of the same ways humans do.

That's not supposed to be possible...


I guess it depends on what you believe,

Balaam's ass talks to him again
Quote:
On the way, Balaam's donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing on the road with a sword in his hand, and the poor monkey turn away. Balaam never saw the angel and he beat the donkey again and again, till she fell down.

Suddenly, God let the donkey speak: "Why did you beat me three times?", the donkey asked. "Because you made a fool out of me", replied Balaam.

Just then, God opened Balaam's eyes. He saw the angel in the road and fell flat in his face. God spoke to Balaam and told him to go to the King, but to bless His people instead of cursing them. And that's what Balaam did:


Also, the serpant talking to Eve, right?

Anyway, I agree, it's great!!


There's a lot of talking out of peoples asses in the bible!
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