How Great Apes like Chimpanzees, Gorillas, and Orangutan learn the human communication system?
Chimpanzees are 98.76%, Gorillas 98.67%, and Orangutan 97%
genetically identical to humans, but amazingly no anyone can speak human
language. What are the obstacles, the structural differences between the human
and non-human primates? Scientific
studies involving mutation of FOXP2 Gene
clearly make a distinction but In a survey of the research, Marcus, and Fisher
(2003: 262) concluded that “FOXP2 cannot be called ‘the gene for speech’ or
‘the gene for language.’ In fact, it functions as a “transcription factor,”
that is a type of switch that regulates other genes, some involved in the
development of the lungs and stomach as well as the brain. Researchers now know
that the human ability to create speech is the outcome of the interaction of a
number of genes. The complex training and experiments done on Great apes badly
failed to produce a single sentence except for Papa, Mama, Up and Cup which was
inaudible too. But to some extent, they succeed to be fluent in sign language.
Sign languages are languages that use the visual-manual modality to convey
meaning. Sign languages are
expressed through manual articulations in combination with non-manual elements.
Through this, the great apes included Chimpanzees, Gorillas, Orangutan and
African apes learn to some extent but they not really know and understand what
are they doing?
Through sign language, Chimpanzees learn 4 words, Washoe 150 signs,
gorillas 1000 above words, kanzi 400 symbols. Finally, it can be concluded that
the non-human primates can be able to distinguish signs but they cannot speak
due to the physical difference of vocal tract. They have thin tongue and higher
larynx which create difficulty in speaking vowel sounds.
