The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-31
Prof Gamers Investigation Of the
Language Of Different Vari-
cites, Of Simians.
His Purpose Is to Make q Vocabu-
larry Of Their Native
Tongue
EMPLOYMENT of tho Phonograph for That
Purpose missionary Work Among
the Foresters.

capo and Cincinnati, in both of which cities
! spent good deal Of time geological gar
dening and securing a number of valuable
monograph records Of monkey CONVERSE
ton on cylinders"
So spoke Prof. r. L. Garner. of Roanoke
honorary curator of the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition. to Washington Star reporter, and
added:
my purpose In the experiment am MAX
ing is to obtain an analysis of the language
of monkeys that will enable me to make
out some sort of rude vocabulary of their
tongue. This accomplished, am sure
that I can establish communication by
words with them. so as to effect an inter-
ehange of ideas. In fact, I can see no
reason why a man and monkey should not
actually converse together, the one
requisite being that the man shall be ac-
quainted with the monkeys speech. The
latter is exceedingly simple, and, the key
to it once obtained, most easily learned.
It can hardly be expected Of the monkey
that he shall acquire human language.
ut is with view to getting ho.d of this
key to the simian tongue that arm taking
advantage of every opportunity to procure
records on photograph cylinders of sounds
uttered by monkeys. The managers of the
ZOOS in Cincinnati and Chicago exhibited
much interest in my recent experiments in
with them. Indeed, find on all sides a
most cordial sympathy with the inquiry l
am making in this new line of scientific in
vestigation. The idea is entirely original
with myself, but my belief is that the study
of the languages of the lower animals is a
field that will before very long attract an
army OF workers.
ALREADY can make a capuchin monkey
understand two words wherever I may meet
him. One of these words is milk and Is
uttered by all of them, SO far as have been
able to discover, in precisely the same way.
the first time salute him with the term,
which invariably procures his attention and
good will. The word in question, however.
belongs only to that one species. For you
must understand that different varieties of
monkeys employ vastly different languages,
the speech OF one variety being as little
known to another as is the case among
tribes of men. But monkeys Of the same
variety all use the same language, intelliei-
BILE for conversational purposes among
themselves, though possibly varied to
slight degree by dialect. So far as I can
find out none of the lower animals has range
of more than ten or twelve vocal sounds,
but these, being simply International, may
be SO modified by enunciation as to make
nouns and verbs. Apparently the monkey
has forty or fifty words effectively at his
command.
sI.find that 1 can. communicate to the
capuchin the fact that ! am in pain, and
can make q sick capuchin understand my
sympathies with his suffering. It is almost
impossible to give in printed letters illustra.
tions of the vocal sounds of monkeys, mas
much as they are nearly all vowels. 1t can
be said, however, that the sounds are strik-
ingly like those uttered by human beings as
the expressions of similar emotions. The
vocal organs in the lower animals are COM
paratively rudimentary, but development
follows use and effort. All the words that a
monkey needs he has at his command. In
cidentally to the modern advancement of
the human race thousands Of words have
been added to our own speech which were
not needed by our early progenitors. You
will find certain tribes of men described by
the Greek writer Strabo who had NJ Ian
guage, but shrieked like wild beasts only
uttering very few sounds. As for the pal@o-
lithic man of hundreds of thousands Of
years ago there are many scientific author
tiles who assert that he was actually dumb
creature-as dumb, that is to say, as the
monkey is now.
II am unable to say with any degree Of
certainty what variety of monkey is the
most intelligent, but am inclined to think
tion, is greatly at variance with the popular
1dea-that the most intelligent specimens
are found. among the smaller species and
generally among those with tails instead of
otherwlse.- My study of the chimpanzee
disposes me to surmise that its intelligence
less closely resembles that of man than is
the case with some of the smaller mon
keys.
ut was only recently that the idea of
using the photograph to obtain records of
monkey vocal sounds for study occurred to
me. Through its aid hope to be able
within year to 90 very long way toward
making out vocabulary Of simian Ian
guaRe, which will serve as a beginning in
establishing intercommunication. You
must not imagine that propose
to demonstrate the possibility of
converting the monkey into
man. The monkey will always remain u
monkey, but it may be that, by long-con-
tinued breeding and EDUCATING, race of
monkeys very far superior to any At pres
ent existing can be produced. When q
means of conversing with the monkey has
been secured, it will be time enough to
think of the intellectual and moral devel-
opment of our arboreal cousins"
The World Enriched.