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From: friesen@psivax.UUCP (Stanley Friesen)
Newsgroups: net.origins
Subject: Re: Orphaned Response
Message-ID: <473@psivax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 29-May-85 19:20:13 EDT
Article-I.D.: psivax.473
Posted: Wed May 29 19:20:13 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Jun-85 14:44:55 EDT
References: <-41400@psivax.UUCP> <14600014@hpfcrs.UUCP> <634@cadovax.UUCP>
Reply-To: friesen@psivax.UUCP (Stanley friesen)
Organization: Pacesetter Systems Inc., Sylmar, CA
Lines: 30

In article <634@cadovax.UUCP> keithd@cadovax.UUCP (Keith Doyle) writes:
>[...............]
>>	You are confusing *capacity* and ability. Humans have a
>>natural *capacity* to *learn* language, something which no other
>>animal has ever been demonstrated to have. Humans only actual learn
>
>Actually, this is not true.  Some chimpanzees have learned a form of
>sign language, and have taught it to their offspring.  I guess what
>you mean is, no other animal has ever demonstrated the ability to
>speak verbally.
>
	No, I mean no other animal has the ability to learn a
*complete* concept-oriented language simply by exposure. These
ape-language experiments involve using ingenious, intensive training
techniques to induce a chimp(or other ape) to learn a *subset* of
the full range of human linguisitic performance. The most reasonible
interpretation of these experiments is that apes are capable(under
abnormal circumstances) of employing a form of simple sign-symbolism
of concrete objects and actions. Thet also show that apes are very
sensitive to "body-language" and are often cued subconsciously by the
experimenter as to what is wanted, and they are *very* happy to
oblige. There is no evidence of any capacity for unrestricted
symbolization and abstraction, nor for "gramaticalization" of
complex relationships.
-- 

				Sarima (Stanley Friesen)

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