Human beings' attraction to animal communication is remarkable, ranging from dolphins to dogs and cats. This curiosity is based on the possibility of establishing connections between animal languages and human language.
Within this perspective, a particularly relevant and promising area of research is that which focuses on primates, a unique group among non-humans, who have the ability to learn language human.
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Among the most emblematic stories that emerge from this line of investigation, Washoe's remarkable trajectory stands out.
She becamethe first chimpanzee to acquire the ability to understand and use American Sign Language (ASL, in its original acronym).
In an extraordinary achievement, Washoe mastered around 250 signals, opening a window of understanding between species that, until then, seemed unattainable.
(Image: PeakPx/Public Domain/Canaltech)
Originally from West Africa, the female chimpanzee came into the world in September 1965. However, its entry into the human scene was marked by apainful trajectory.
Captured in the wild, the probable loss of her mother becomes a sad sign, as she ended up being sold to an animal trafficker before falling into the hands of the US military.
On American soil, her story took an unexpected turn. She found a new home in the hands of the scientist couple Allen and Beatrix Gardner, who “adopted” her for their research.
As of June 21, 1966, this chimpanzee began to actively contribute to the couple's studies, opening doors to a deeper understanding of the potential for communication between species.
Washoe's two tutors were researchers who were experts in cognition. They raised a chimpanzee in their own garden environment, where they guided and encouraged her to learn sign language in the same way they would teach a deaf person.
As a result of this approach, the female became a landmark, achieving the title of the first animal to learn American Sign Language (ASL).
The success of this scientific endeavor was widely publicized with the publication of a survey on the case in the scientific journal Science, in August 1969.
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