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[–] 44 points 10 months ago (16 children)

Is this true? I was listening to a lecture of I think it was a linguist on apes using sign language, saying that the evidence for them actually understanding language is... not great. Like it appear they just sign until their carers gets the right/expected answer. That they may want to say 'apple', but not finding the word, they can't describe the shape, color, just random words util they hit the correct one, or something like that.

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  • [–] 20 points 10 months ago (7 children)

    Longest non-human primate sentence on record:

    Give Orange Me Give Eat Orange Me Eat Orange Give Me Eat Orange Give Me You

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  • [–] 16 points 10 months ago*

    Hello fellow American. This you should vote me. I leave power. Good. Thank you, thank you. If you vote me, I'm hot. What? Taxes, they'll be lower, son. The Democratic vote for me is right thing to do Philadelphia, so do.

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  • [–] 6 points 10 months ago (3 children)

    That is pretty impressive. Where is it from?

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  • [–] 11 points 10 months ago (2 children)

    I'm pretty sure that was Bukowski

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  • [–] 34 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 child)

    Afaik yes, although I remember reading that (I think) Koko sort of asked something (I think it was "what color" or something like that). But at the same time I remember reading about similar criticism you mentioned, that Koko's signs were often quite random and the caretakers often tried to make fun of the situation that "she's just joking".

    I should find that article ...

    Edit: I don't know if it was exactly this artice but it was similar

    https://bigthink.com/life/ape-sign-language/

    Edit 2: or this

    https://slate.com/technology/2014/08/koko-kanzi-and-ape-language-research-criticism-of-working-conditions-and-animal-care.html

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  • [–] -3 points 10 months ago (5 children)

    That's just not true. Most of them simply aren't interested in communicating with humans, they just care about the reward

    That's what made Koko special. She was interested in communicating with humans, and her conversations were wild. It got existential

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  • [–] 3 points 10 months ago* (4 children)

    You have a severe case of anthropomorphizing animals plus a stark lack of education on animal behavioral sciences. You have zero idea what you're talking about.

    Koko's "conversations" were gibberish that the scientists conducting the experiments interpreted with extreme bias. They wanted there to be meaning in what the gorilla was doing so they over-interpreted it as if there was. It was a heavily flawed experiment.

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  • [–] -4 points 10 months ago (3 children)

    Bullshit. You just don't speak any animal language

    I can tell you what a dog is thinking at any given moment. They're so expressive I can dictate it in real time. They tell you where and how they want to be pet, they can understand time and remember names

    Koko was barely special. She spoke a form of sign language, and she enjoyed interspecies communication enough to devote time towards it. That's what is rare

    Do you understand how much more they'll have to say when we crack their language? Because it's coming

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  • [–] 4 points 10 months ago (2 children)

    Lol. You are like the epitome of the Dunning-Kruger effect. It's amazing how confident you are in your ignorance.

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