Washoe's Influence On American Sign Language

In 1965, a peculiar chimpanzee was the center of attention as scientists utilized American Sign Language in hopes of communicating efficiently with another species. The female chimpanzee was named Washoe. While this was by no means a quick study, scientists patiently taught Washoe for years and by the time she was an adult, Washoe had been about to spontaneously and appropriately use 350 different signs. It is still under much controversy that she could effectively use this language in complex sentences, or if she had just learned signs for being rewarded. Either way, the debate about, non-human primates having the intellectual capacity for language, remains highly contested.

Whether primates can or cannot use language is one of the most
A male Bonobo ape named Kanzi has made one of the most important advancements in linguistic capabilities amongst primates. The result of accidental exposure to English language has proved his greatest success. Learning from just a few months after birth, Kanzi had started to learn more effectively than any other primate, the structure of language. Kanzi’s researchers took a slightly different approach to the field. They devised a geometrically patterned “keyboard” where each geometric shape labeled, signified a different word. On top of this, they tried a different approach to teaching; they practiced a much more language immersive setting and tried to make life fun for him, instead of repeated rigorous
It is the question, if primates have the ability to use language, are they able to use one of the most complex practices humans have? Apes have come very far in this question, but there is still more to uncover. There is no doubt that they can understand many different aspects of language and can at least communicate what they want. Since all language refers to something, all language is used to communicate. My final question is how language has intentionality and in what way does it have