lexigrams

Kanzi, now 17, also combines words (actually, shapes called lexigrams on a keyboard) in the appropriate order to produce "" grab Matata, '' meaning that the chimp Matata was grabbed, but "" Matata bite '' to mean Matata did the biting.

Aping Language 2008

Because their vocal tracts are not shaped in a way that allows them to speak human language, the bonobos communicate using a system of lexigrams (symbols that represent words -- an interactive copy of their lexigram board is online here).

Sara Gruen: Sara Gruen, 'Water For Elephants' Author On The Inspiration For 'Ape House' Sara Gruen 2010

Researchers instead taught nonhuman primates sign language, or to use plastic chips or lexigrams on computer keyboards.

Birdology Sy Montgomery 2010

*Well, for the most part: Kanzi the bonobo and Alex the African gray parrot are among those who have been asked and have answered: Alex was able to create and utter novel, coherent, three-word sentences based on a vocabulary built from eavesdropping on researchers; Kanzi has a multihundred-word vocabulary of lexigrams symbolic pictures that he can point at to communicate.

INSIDE OF A DOG ALEXANDRA HOROWITZ 2009

*Well, for the most part: Kanzi the bonobo and Alex the African gray parrot are among those who have been asked and have answered: Alex was able to create and utter novel, coherent, three-word sentences based on a vocabulary built from eavesdropping on researchers; Kanzi has a multihundred-word vocabulary of lexigrams symbolic pictures that he can point at to communicate.

INSIDE OF A DOG ALEXANDRA HOROWITZ 2009

The idea is to see whether areas corresponding to humans 'language circuits turn on when Lana uses lexigrams and Panzee responds to speech.

Aping Language 2008

Later Lana's performance was said to be an emulation of human symbol use because she failed to grasp the referential aspect of the lexigrams.

Animal Cognition Andrews, Kristin 2008

Kanzi and his extended bonobo family formerly lived at the Language Research Center at Georgia State University where they learned to use lexigrams, symbolic language equivalents of Japanese kanji the similar words being coincidental, Kanzi means treasure in Swahili.

Kanzi Plays Ms. Pac-Man Field Notes 2006

To be fair, this may be dependent on the time and creativity of his teachers who must design new lexigrams.

Kanzi Plays Ms. Pac-Man Field Notes 2006

Recently NPR interviewed Sue Savage-Rumbaugh about her work with Kanzi, a bonobo who communicates with humans and bonobos alike using lexigrams, a symbolic language akin to Japanese kanji.

ToM Field Notes 2006