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Friday, July 10, 2009

??!! Monkeys: Grammar Nazis?

Posted by Paul Constant on Fri, Jul 10, 2009 at 11:29 AM

9821/1247239024-640x480_monkey_book.jpg Monkeys recognize bad grammar:

In the journal Biology Letters, researchers said that cotton-top tamarins are able to spot if the order of syllables in a word is "wrong".

They familiarised the monkeys with two-syllable terms, and recorded their reaction to words that were not consistent with that syllable pattern.

The team says the work illustrates how many animals use patterns that have become intrinsic to human language.

(Thanks to Slog tipper Original Monique, via Twitter.)

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Yes, but how do they score on the WASL exam?

Posted by Ackham on July 10, 2009 at 11:42 AM

Yeah, but do they know the difference between "loose" and "lose?"

Oh, wait - most Americans these days don't seem to have that one figured out either.

Posted by Fifty-Two-Eighty

on July 10, 2009 at 11:47 AM

The implications here confirm what I've long suspected: the average blog commenter is dumber than a monkey.

Waittaminute. I'm a commenter...on a blog....

Posted by TVDinner

on July 10, 2009 at 11:56 AM

My birds use many ways to communicate. They use their wings, eyes, sounds, head bobs, feathers and beak to give subtle but unmistakable signals about what they want, don't want, don't like and affection among others. I am always amazed by how the wild birds do the same things if you watch them.

Posted by Vince on July 10, 2009 at 12:31 PM

Another thing -- animals project their own thoughts and feelings onto humans all the time!

They're always communicating to each other "wow, didja know humans do such and such and it's JUST LIKE US!"

They're sooooooooooo like us!!!!!!

Maybe we're like RELATED or something!!??!!!

Posted by PC on July 10, 2009 at 12:58 PM