The communication that animals establish with each other or with humans is very different from the communication that humans establish with humans. But primates and humans language and communication We can’t deny how advanced it has been.

The purpose of Washoe’s research, adopted in the 1960s to teach sign language, is in common language was to see how chimpanzees resembled humans. The results were truly astonishing.

It was adopted for research when he was just 10 months old.

Washoe’s mother, who was born in Africa in 1965, was probably by a hunter had been killed and taken to market to be sold in Washoe.

Professor of Psychology Dr. Allen Gardner and Dr. Beatrix Gardner took her for examination in 1966. The primate, named for the Washoe region in which it lives, “first chimpanzee to learn human language” would go down in history.

Washoe, like other animals, had a unique character.

He got along well with humans and other apes. Even as it is said a good sense of humour there was. He liked to look in magazines, newspapers, books.

Other activities he did included drawing, having coffee and tea parties, brushing his teeth, and looking at the shoes of his human friends. Pumpkin pudding, eggplant, oatmeal with onions, pea soup, chewing gum, tea and coffee It was his favorite food and drink.

Washoe was raised as a mute child.

In the garden of the researchers’ house your own house The chimpanzee, who was still alive, had perhaps the best years of his life here. He had his own toys and clothes.

His possessive family would never be near Washoe. verbal communication was not installing. They only communicated in sign language to encourage the use of sign language. When he was about 3 years old, he had learned more than a hundred words. He could even form small sentences with several words.

Some of his sentences were as follows:

“Washoe itches.”

“Tickle, no more tickling to give.”

“Please feed me.”

“You go.”

“Hurry up. Give me a toothbrush.”

He even made up his own words to understand things!

In addition to expressing existing words in sign language, he found his own signs for some concepts. For example swan “water bird” He used signs that meant This event surprised everyone, as only humans were believed to have the ability to use existing words to describe unfamiliar words.

In 1980, Washoe was taken to Central Washington University’s Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute; He met other chimpanzees named Loulis, Tatu, Moja and Dar. After a while, they could communicate together in sign language. It is said that Washoe Loulis learned sign language after their eight days together. This is an animal instead of a human, to another being He was the first to teach sign language.

The sign language that Washoe learned is the subject of debate among researchers.

Some scientists use the chimpanzee’s only taught sign language. that you imitate and he says he does not use them spontaneously or with a real understanding of the grammar of the language.

Yes, grammar skill in animals is not as developed as in humans, but Washoe sign language was fully developed. whether you use it consciously I guess we’ll never know.

Washoe became the first example of language-learning chimpanzees in future research, and died in 2007 at the age of 42.