"If learning is the result of stimulus and response, then why wouldn't other intelligent beings like apes, also learn to speak?" (Freeman and Freeman, 2004, p.3)
This question was taken from the following source:
Freeman, D. and freeman, Y. (2004) Essential Linguistics, what you need to know to teach reading, ESL, spelling, phonics, and grammar.New Hampshire: Heinemann.
I'll be waiting anxiously for your responses.
although apes are similar to human beings because of their characteristics; apes can't to speak because they don't have a good physical contidion to do it; their phonological apparatus doesn't allow them to speak. But it doesn't mean that apes can't learn a language becasue they can do it through sign language such as people who are deaf and dumb.
ReplyDeleteAs Rossmarry Ortiz said, apes can’t speak because their phonological apparatus doesn't allow them to speak, apes do not have the same vocal chords as humans, so they are unable to pronounce words like human. Apes can learn a language, they can learn sign language but we have to take into account that those apes that have learned sign language in captivity was taught by human beings. To say that an ape adquire a languge There must be an ability to pass on this language from one generation to the next, and if they are not taught in the critical period they won’t be able to learn the language in a good way, they just will try to repeat what they learned but with grammar mistakes.
ReplyDeleteThe world is made of a variety of species but just one of them has the capacity to express through words, ours. Imitation is one the ways anyone can learn but that does not mean that everyone is able to response to a specific model and follow the pattern. Apes can learn whatever they could be taught if they posses what it takes to do it. Learning to speak is something they will never be able to do since speaking requires the use of the brain, lungs, larynx, mouth working together as a system to articulate words. So,apes will speak when people grow wings and fly as high as the sun.
ReplyDeleteThe results of some studies involving apes learning a language show that such apes can communicate by using sign language, and in some cases they are able to generate new combinations of signs to express something. But, whether apes are completely capable of acquiring and producing a language or not is yet to be determined because they are not proved to be good users of semantics and, in some cases, syntax.
ReplyDeleteTechnically apes can learn a language, but they are not able to speak one because their vocal cords cannot close completely and they cannot control their tongues and lower jaws as well as human beings do.
Apes might not be able to speak, but in terms of analysis, problem solving and use of logic, they are quite good (sometimes better than humans).
Since learning could be the outcome of stimulus and response, apes, of course, are able to learn but not to learn to speak. Apes can imitate or follow directions, so we can't predict or be sure if they do so because they properly understand or they just want a reward or a prize. It's important to consider here that whenever a stimulus is shown, there should be a response, however in this particular case -speaking- apes can't give an "automatic" response, above all things, because of their physiological limitations.
ReplyDeleteis true that apes have a big percentage of genetic similarity to humans being and also is a fact that apes are very intelligent animals like dolphins, but is possible the apes can not have the same retention capacity that humans being to learn a spoken language. it's no a secret that animals have their own language by sounds, that occur in apes too. I think that is very difficult that apes learn to speak because their brain is not equal to humans being. it is true that apes are very smart, but scientists and doctors have to study their vocal cords to see if they are able to pronounce words.
ReplyDeleteApes can not talk like humans because they do not have the vocal organs necessary to speak as human beings, but apes do can learn ways to communicate such as: screaming when they are angry, they could learn some movement with their hand to express some specific things and they also can learn to use tools and make facial gestures.
ReplyDeletewell, I'm in disagreement when Orlando said "scientists and doctors have to study their vocal cords to see if they are able to pronounce words".because the only way that apes can achieve to speak is that they would born with the same phonological apparatus that the parrots has. of course taking into accoount that parrots doesn't speak as humans being because they hasn't the capacity to stablish a conversation; parrots only imitate and pronounce sounds.
ReplyDeleteIn my personal opinion I don´t think that apes have the ability to talk like human beings even though they have similar characteristics to ours, because their phonological apparatus is different, for that reason they don´t have such ability to communicate.
ReplyDeleteAlthough learning is the result of stimulus and response.Apes would not learn to speak because an ape even though has some characteristics similar to human beings and in some opportunities they act like us.They cannot learn to speak.First of all, their phonological apparatus does not allow them to speak.Secondly,we as human beings act for stimulus and feelings.We have conscience of what we always think and do and apes are so different to us according to our knowledge and our reasoning.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand,apes also act for stimulus but they do not have some reasoning about something like us.They solely act for a natural instinct.
Orlando Jimenez is right humans and apes share nearly 99% similarity of the genetic material. But even with this, apes can not perform many functions that humans can, like speaking, due to the brain capacities.
ReplyDeleteIn certain aspects we could be surprise or striked when we pay attention to how some animals behave and communicate. They develop certain ways to communicate with each other but just because of natural instints, they don't understand exactly the words when we talk to them in some cases as with dogs, parrots or apes. They develop the ability to percive and understand a message but not to comprehend it. They do it by gesture and also it is said that some of them can percive a special kind of sensations but they don't have language; it is only for "human". Of course we can refer to the fact that some animals seem to develop certain grade of inteligence like the apes and in spite of they have similar characteristics of the genetic material to human being their phonological apparatus doesn't allow them to speak.
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ReplyDeleteTaking into account that most of us had posted about apes' limitations to talk, it's remarkable to say that the question itself has some help for us, it says "IF"; therefore behaviorist theory suggests that it does not provide an account for all species. From my point of view, then, we must not only talk here about the capabilities or great skills apes possess but also we must emphasize the fact that we are trying to understand the theory itself or at least have a better idea of it.
ReplyDeletejhonathan of course that I'm in agreement with Orlando and the mojorities of our classmates when they said that apes are like humans being because of their characteristics but there is not possibility that Doctors and Scientists could find something in the phonological apparatus of apes that can allow them to speak because there are a lot of proof about it and probably apes wil start to speak when penguin will start to fly.
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ReplyDeleteI don't agree with Orlando, because the Wernicke's area better known as "the language center" in the brain which scientists thought it was exclusive to humans was discovered in apes brain too. that it means the ape's brain is adapted to learn a language. But why can't they speak? It's because of their phonological apparatus doesn't allow them to speak. Many animals, especially birds and mammals can produce sounds, but only man is able to speak. The reasons? Only he has sufficient command of their phonatory apparatus to produce the wide range of sounds necessary to speak,
ReplyDeleteI liked the assertion of Jose_Cabello_Sanabria. I think we should not seek the inability of speaking of these adorable animals in their brains but their physiological limits. We can realize, then, that this is the reason and we should not continue thinking that it’s due to problems with neurobiological processes.
ReplyDeleteApes can't talk because they don't have reasoning though they have been able to develop intelligence. They have only other methods of communication such as body language and response by instict. They have developed this way of communication trough the pass of time and according to their needs. Also their bodies are not provided with the necessary elements to produce sounds which can convey meaning as in a real conversation or express and defend themselves.
ReplyDeletewell, I think the apes can't speak like us because their phonological apparatus don't allow them to do it, but maybe they have their own language to communicate each other;and they use gestures sometimes to communicate or to express how they feel or how they want to. So, apes can't form grammatical structures to speak.
ReplyDeleteApes are very smart and I think if apes would live in a different way, maybe they wouldn't to speak a language but I could say if they would be born to learn like us to developt their mind,they would make a lot of things almost like us.
ReplyDeleteThe only ones who can speak are us (the human beings), animals can't speak, because they don't have a speech apparatus as we have, the only animals who could produce some words are the parrots, but they can't stablish a conversation with another one. In the other hand animals can communicate together with their body language and their behaviorism, for example a dog express what he want to their owner with barks, shaking his tail, giving his owner one thing for example: a ball, a disc, etc... (when he want to play), to conclude I think that animals (in this case apes) can produce sounds, can communicate each other, among human beings and another kind of species,also they can learn a language and to produce sounds like yells, but they are not able to talk.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Adolfo, we have the capacity to talk, express our ideas and thoughts. We use the right part of our brain to produce the language.Animals are very intelligent. They can understand some words and commands but they use another way to communicate between them through sounds, images and body language. Apes do not speak because they do not have the ability to pronounce words and their brain has a limit just to understand a spoken language but not to produce it.
ReplyDeleteThe capability to speak is not only a matter of physical limitations or advantages, it also has to do with all the processes which occur when producing language. Stimulus and response is not enough to develop speaking skills. However, it does not mean that there are not things that can be learned through this means, it is just that the processes of hearing, decoding and producing language information must be considered.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Patricia when she says "Learning to speak is something they will never be able to do since speaking requires the use of the brain, lungs, larynx, mouth working together as a system to articulate words" because as some of you have said before the human being's ribs are totally different from apes at all, and they even can’t keep an even air pressure while blowing out, a vital necessity for human speech. Human larynxes combine a single passage for breathing and eating; in apes and other animals the two passages are joined much higher up so that humans cannot breathe and eat at the same time, as can cats, apes, or indeed small human babies.
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ReplyDeleteI am also in agreement with Patricia about the learning speaking process of apes since as she said, "Learning to speak is something they will never be able to do since speaking requires the use of the brain, lungs, larynx, mouth working together as a system to articulate words". So as you all said, those animals have not the capacity to speak because of their phonological apparatus does not allow them to do it. but this does not mean that apes are not able to develop a language, because they have the ability to learn the sign language as some of you said and that is something that is not natural for them, that was a language they adquire because they were exposed to it, and it is well known that this sign language is not the same as their own language, this second language was taught by man.
ReplyDeleteI think that the thing is not to say who has more physical conditions or advantages to speak , obviously that they can´t speak because their vocal apparatus is not the same, but among others things that my classmates has said my opinion is that they do not have the same social interaction procces that we as human beings have. that`s my humble opinion.
ReplyDeleteahhhhh !!! although humans and apes have the same brains, the apes brains does`t have some regions that we have to understan and produce language.
ReplyDeleteYes. As Javier said, the key is the difference between apes's apparatus and ours, and also the coordination of all the organs necessary to do such a complex task.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Ana said " it is just that the processes of hearing, decoding and producing language information must be considered." We should focus our attention to the physical limitations that apes have to learn a language but also to the process that this involves.
ReplyDeleteEven though apes can learn sign language to communicate, it hasn't been prove that they can be able to use syntax and semantics as we do when we speak or writte, acquiring a language is more than physical inabilities, is something deeper than that.
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ReplyDeleteBeyond to the fact that both, human beings and apes have similar "speech" organs, it means, for instance, apes have lips, tongue, teeth, etc. they are animals and this makes a considerable difference between animals and human beings, and this is basically because as we can notice to differentiate the parrots that they are able to repeat a word or some words but they don’t know the meaning of what they say because they do not reason or interpret what they are saying as if they could keep a cenversation for a period of time. On the other hand, every behaviour is determined by the environment in which the person grows or develops, and the animal behaviour is determined by association or reinforcement. It is the case of the chimpaze Washoe who was educated during almost seven years, and was the first non-human to learn to communicate using American Sing Language but she never was able to speak and his actions through images, stimulus and responses were all conditioned by a gift. This gives an explanation why the theory and the division between human being and animals in spite of stimulus and responses.
ReplyDeleteAlthough there are many similarities between humans and apes doesn't mean that they can communicate through spoken language. There is a gene whose mutation gives us the ability to communicate verbally, and is this gene that gives humans the ability to speak
ReplyDeletethe apes cannot speak because they do not have the capacity and ability to develop language. yes, they are very similar to human beings but they are instinctive animals they are not able to reason uot, in the same way that humans and this can be the main feature it does not permit their spoken.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that apes have skills very similar to the human beings skills but they don`t have our capacities and all that due to the mutation and evolution that we(human beings) have reached. Comprehension and analysis, are only some of the big capacities that we possess and which the apes donn`t, because of that the aptitude to speak, apes won`t be able to develop and we can`t forget the physical characteristics of our speech organ. I support you Adolfo, because apes only associate the commands and words but separately answering to his animal instinct and we reason to express us.
ReplyDeleteA 1925 scientific article suggested sign language as an alternative. But serious efforts to teach non-vocal communication to apes only began in the 1960s. Researchers attempted to teach individual signs derived from American Sign Language to Washoe, a chimpanzee; Koko, a gorilla; and Chantek, an orangutan. Sarah, a chimpanzee, learned to manipulate arbitrary plastic symbols standing for words, and another chimpanzee, named Lana, used an early computer keyboard, with arbitrary symbols the researchers called lexigrams.
ReplyDeleteThe apes learned to use hand gestures, plastic symbols or keyboards to communicate with their trainers. The 1960s and 1970s became the golden age of ape language-learning. Researchers claimed (and some continue to claim) that the apes had learned tens or even hundreds of signs. But popular accounts went farther. They had it that the apes held conversations, and had “learned sign language.”
But although the trained apes often used two or three signs or symbols in a sequence, and could clearly get a message across most often a request for food or attention.. So, I'm totally agre with Rosmarry and José coment. Apes can't talk because of their limite to speak meaning words, but they can express needs by gestures and body language. Also they have the ability to imitate humans behaviour. even though No chimpanzee has learned sign language They've certainly learned some gestures, but sign language is not just a system of gestures. It's a full, grammatical language with its own systematic grammar, like Latin.
Apes can't learn to speak because even though humans and apes share 98 to 99 percent of the same genes only human brain has the possibility to make humans speak. Human beings are intelligent creatures with a complex brain that has the ability to adapt and learn any human language.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason is that animals appear to have neither the articulatory possibilities which human posses nor the cognitive abilities which make language and the use of symbols possible.
Halliday argued that humns develop language because we are creatures who need to mean, and language, above all else, is our primary resource for meaning. The capacity to acquire and use language is a key aspect that distinguishes humans from other organisms.
My comment about,
ReplyDelete"if learning is the result of stimulus and response, then why wouldn't other intelligent beings like apes, also learn to speak?"
Stimulus: is the input into a system.
For instance: if an animal is cold so it moves into the sun.
Response: is the change that resulted from that stimulus.
Example: we getting a drink when we are thirsty.
For example, in plants, plants respond to their environment. When a plant grows towards the sun, this is simple in their.
But now, what happened in animals, specifically in apes.
Many animals can respond to stimuli in two ways:
A.- in a way that they learned. In other words, learned behavior.
B.- and by instinct.
First, non-human apes do not talk like we do because their vocal cords are different so they can only make a different set of sounds. Right now we cannot understand their sounds.
Second, what is “communication” and “language.” Language is uniquely for human beings and that apes do not understand different types of sentences (like questions) and do not think about how to express themselves. I think apes have language but it is different than human language and we just don’t understand yet how to appreciate their different methods of communication.
But that doesn’t mean that apes cannot learn to understand language and communicate to humans in other ways. The problem is for apes to develop “human language” they need to be taught by humans and sometimes it is hard to determine whether they are doing something just to get a reward or because they truly understand. From other point of view, some scientists believe that animals cannot learn 'real' language, and that most of animal communication skills are "innate."
Also, there is a possibility that some apes have been taught to use sign language.
In reference to this, I can say that, we can train animals to do something, or we can teach an animal a trick, but we cannot train animals to speak.
In sum up, apes can develop their abilities to communicate with the human beings by sign language, but not speaking.