Mechanisms of production and comprehension in the gestural communication of non-human great apes

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry Smith
Keyword(s):  
Great Apes ◽  
Gestural Communication

Gestural phrases and gestural exchanges by a pair of zoo-living lowland gorillas

Gesture ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne E. Tanner
Keyword(s):  
San Francisco ◽  
Great Apes ◽  
Gestural Communication ◽  
Visual Data ◽  
Electronic Edition ◽  
Partial Picture ◽  
Lowland Gorillas

Previous study of the spontaneous gestural communication of the great apes has been primarily of individual gestures and their sequels. Such analysis gives only a partial picture of the quality of gorilla interaction. The repertoire of gestures of a pair of gorillas at San Francisco Zoo have been described by Tanner and Byrne (1993, 1996, 1999). These gorillas often used gestures in continuous sequences or phrases. Both single gestures and phrases were used in exchanges between gorillas. Phrases included a variety of syntactic functions, and exchanges seemed to negotiate matters such as location, initiator, and type of play. Both single gestures and phrases could be modified by “negative’ gestures. Detailed transcription of gorilla communicative events show that gestures are continually being modified and varied by the communicative partners, rather than being ritualized elements of a finite repertoire. The electronic edition of this article includes audio-visual data.

Natural communication in bonobos: Insights into social awareness and the evolution of language

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zanna Clay ◽  
Emilie Genty
Keyword(s):  
Pan Paniscus ◽  
Great Apes ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Social Awareness ◽  
Gestural Communication ◽  
Animal Kingdom ◽  
Evolution Of Language ◽  
Central Aspect

Our capacity for language is a central aspect of what it means to be human and sets us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom. Given that language does not fossilize, one way to understand how and when it first evolved is to examine the communicative capacities of our closest living relatives, the great apes. This chapter reviews recent research exploring natural communication in our least understood but closest living relative, the bonobo (Pan paniscus). It primarily focuses on what natural bonobo communication can tell us about their underlying social awareness and how this relates to the evolution of language. Examining vocal and gestural communication, we report findings that highlight considerable communicative complexity, flexibility, and intentionality which, cumulatively, suggest that many of the building blocks for language are deeply rooted in our primate past. Notre qualité de langage est un aspect central d’être humain, et nous sépare du reste de l’univers animal. Vu que le langage ne fige pas, les qualités communicatives des grands singes nous peuvent aider à expliquer comment et quand est-ce-que nos langues ont évolué. Ici nous révisons les recherches plus récentes explorant la communication naturelle chez notre plus proche relatif vivant, le bonobo (Pan paniscus). Nous nous concentrons sur ce que la communication naturelle des bonobos nous peut dire à propos de leur conscience sociale et comment cela se rapporte à l’évolution des langues. En examinant la communication vocale et gestuelle, nous signalons des trouvailles qui soulignent la complexité, la flexibilité et l’intentionnalité dans la communication. Ces aspects suggèrent que les fondations de notre langue sont enracinées dans notre passé primate.

scholarly journals Gestural Communication of Wild Bonnet Macaques in the Bandipur National Park, Southern India

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shreejata Gupta ◽  
Anindya Sinha
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Studies ◽  
National Park ◽  
Great Apes ◽  
Southern India ◽  
Gestural Communication ◽  
Human Language ◽  
Macaca Radiata ◽  
Bonnet Macaques ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Gesture Studies

Nonhuman primate gestures are believed to be crucial evolutionary precursors of human language. Comparative studies on primate gestures in an evolutionary framework have, however, remained largely restricted to the great apes and the potential flexibility and richness of gestural communication in monkeys, especially in the wild, continue to be virtually unknown. In this paper, we followed several criteria, adapted from ape gesture studies, to identify gestures and evaluate their contexts of usage in the repertoire of wild bonnet macaques Macaca radiata in the Bandipur National Park of southern India. This report is the first of its kind to systematically identify gestures in any wild, non-ape species, thus providing a platform for comparative studies across primate taxa, particularly in our efforts to trace out the phylogenetic origins of language-like markers in the primate lineage, earlier than in the great apes.

Acquired mirroring and intentional communication in primates

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 133-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus Zuberbühler
Keyword(s):  
Mirror Neurons ◽  
Language Evolution ◽  
Mirror Neuron ◽  
Great Apes ◽  
Gestural Communication ◽  
Human Language ◽  
Social Variables ◽  
Intentional Communication ◽  
Vocal Behaviour ◽  
The Brain

AbstractArbib offers a coherent proposal of how the brain has evolved to become language-capable. Integral to the argument are mirror neurons, cells discovered in macaque brains with interesting firing patterns, and studies on gestural communication of great apes. Here, I first discuss some complexities of the recent mirror neuron literature, which suggest that ‘mirroring’ may be an ontogenetically acquired, not an evolved, feature of neurons. Second, it is now clear that chimpanzee vocal behaviour is strongly mediated by social variables, and that individuals can use vocalisations to persuade and inform others, facts that have implications for gestural theories of language evolution. I conclude with discussing research most needed for making progress in understanding how human language has evolved.

Gestural Communication in the Great Apes

2019 ◽  
pp. 371-377
Author(s):  
Kirsty E. Graham ◽  
Catherine Hobaiter
Keyword(s):  
Great Apes ◽  
Gestural Communication

scholarly journals Symbolic Signal Use in Wild Chimpanzee Gestural Communication?: A Theoretical Framework

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Cissewski ◽  
Lydia V. Luncz
Keyword(s):  
Great Apes ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Wild Chimpanzee ◽  
Gestural Communication ◽  
Laboratory Studies ◽  
Laboratory Findings ◽  
Symbolic Communication ◽  
Key Characteristics ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Signal Use

Symbolic communication is not obvious in the natural communicative repertoires of our closest living relatives, the great apes. However, great apes do show symbolic competencies in laboratory studies. This includes the understanding and the use of human-provided abstract symbols. Given this evidence for the underlying ability, the apparent failure to make use of it in the wild is puzzling. We provide a theoretical framework for identifying basic forms of symbolic signal use in chimpanzee natural communication. In line with the laboratory findings, we concentrate on the most promising domain to investigate, namely gesture, and we provide a case study in this area. We suggest that evidence for basic symbolic signal use would consist of the presence of two key characteristics of symbolic communication, namely arbitrariness and conventionalization. Arbitrariness means that the linkage between the form of the gesture and its meaning shows no obvious logical or otherwise motivated connection. Conventionalization means that the gesture is shared at the group-level and is thus socially learned, not innate. Further, we discuss the emergence and transmission of these gestures. Demonstrating this basic form of symbolic signal use would indicate that the symbolic capacities revealed by laboratory studies also find their expression in the natural gestural communication of our closest living relatives, even if only to a limited extent. This theoretical article thus aims to contribute to our understanding of the developmental origins of great ape gestures, and hence, arguably, of human symbolic communication. It also has a very practical aim in that by providing clear criteria and by pointing out potential candidates for symbolic communication, we give fieldworkers useful prerequisites for identifying and analyzing signals which may demonstrate the use of great apes’ symbolic capacities in the wild.

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