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deadpunk
10-Dec-2009, 05:45 PM
Article (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/08/science/08monkey.html)

Caught a blurb about this on the Colbert Report (relax, I was channel surfing).


This is likely to be a controversial claim because despite extensive efforts to teach chimpanzees language, the subjects showed little or no ability to combine the sounds they learned into a sentence with a larger meaning. Syntax, basic to the structure of language, seemed be a uniquely human faculty.

:confused: I had thought scientist had confirmed a dolphin language?
darth los
10-Dec-2009, 07:06 PM
Article (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/08/science/08monkey.html)

Caught a blurb about this on the Colbert Report (relax, I was channel surfing).



:confused: I had thought scientist had confirmed a dolphin language?


I was under the impression that dolphins and whales had a language as well (It even said so in Star Trek 4 :lol:) so that quote doesn't pass the smell test with me either.

Then again look at the source. Perhaps they were joking. As i am at work right now i can't research it properly. Anyone want to undertake the task? :D

:cool:
Chic Freak
10-Dec-2009, 09:19 PM
Sounds interesting. I studied the "teaching chimps language" thing a few years ago and as I recall the upshot was that they could learn a small selection of words (say, 200 or less?) in ASL but couldn't progress further. It seemed like animals could have a basic language if they were taught it but they lacked syntax, e.g. a human could work out how to say, "please give me a hug" or "can I have a hug?" or "I want a hug" or various other versions of the same sentence, whereas the chimp, named Washoe, could never progress further than saying something like "hug Washoe" and could never form proper sentences, learn grammar or rearrange the words in her phrases.

This was ooold research though!
deadpunk
10-Dec-2009, 10:49 PM
I was under the impression that dolphins and whales had a language as well (It even said so in Star Trek 4 :lol:) so that quote doesn't pass the smell test with me either.

Then again look at the source. Perhaps they were joking. As i am at work right now i can't research it properly. Anyone want to undertake the task? :D

:cool:

http://www.speakdolphin.com/home.cfm

Took longer to type than find...:lol:
blind2d
11-Dec-2009, 01:22 AM
So is that pronounced "Washoo" or "Wash-oh", or what?
MoonSylver
11-Dec-2009, 04:59 AM
I'm pretty sure they've already learned everything they want to say to our species:

http://www.all4humor.com/images/files/Giving%20The%20Finger.jpg
Chic Freak
12-Dec-2009, 11:36 AM
So is that pronounced "Washoo" or "Wash-oh", or what?

"Wash-oh"
darth los
14-Dec-2009, 06:09 PM
could never form proper sentences, learn grammar or rearrange the words in her phrases.

Sound like half the women in NYC but i digress...

:cool:
Chic Freak
16-Dec-2009, 11:55 AM
Sound like half the women in NYC but i digress...

If they're using sign language to speak then they may in fact be shaved chimps.
darth los
16-Dec-2009, 05:48 PM
If they're using sign language to speak then they may in fact be shaved chimps.

Sign language would require an intelligence greater than needed to text, do their nails, and go on their my space pages which most of them apparently don't have.

:cool: