Communication and Language in the Home-Raised Chimpanzee

Abstract

Oral speech develops in the human infant as an outgrowth of his contact with older humans who are continuously using language. A deaf mute fails to speak because he never hears the acoustic patterns which make up words. He has no sound patterns to follow, no models to imitate. If the ear itself is functioning but the child is mentally retarded, he may be able to hear but not to imitate. Again, he does not learn to speak. A normal ear, a normal brain and speech organs, the continuous hearing of spoken language, and a great deal of imitation are necessary for the completion of the process.

I am indebted to Dr. Keith J. Hayes who has read most of the material in this article in its preparatory stages and has made a number of helpful suggestions. We are also grateful to Dr. R. A. Gardner and Dr. B. T. Gardner for permission to publish information, from one of their research proposals, concerning the progress of the chimpanzee, Washoe, for the first part of their experiment. Further development of the chimpanzee in this remarkable research is anticipated. However, the subject matter as presented here is solely my responsibility.