In the early 1960s, attempts to teach apes to speak had consistently failed. Allen Gardner and Beatrix Gardner hypothesized that this was due to physical constraints on the vocal apparati of the the apes rather than a lack of brain power. To test their hypothesis, in 1966 they took the baby Washoe and began to teach her sign language which turned out to be successful; Washoe learned over 250 signs of American sign language, and other researchers quickly began to make similar experiments with other chimpanzees and great apes   .
In the early 1960s, attempts to teach apes to speak had consistently failed. Allen Gardner and Beatrix Gardner hypothesized that this was due to physical constraints on the vocal apparati of the the apes rather than a lack of brain power. To test their hypothesis, in 1966 they took the baby Washoe and began to teach her sign language which turned out to be successful; Washoe learned over 250 symbols from American sign language, and other researchers quickly began to make similar experiments with other chimpanzees and great apes . However, later work by Herbert Terrace suggested that the behaviour of Washoe and others was, to a large extent, imitating the researchers rather than spontaneous. Furthermore, Washoe and other chimpanzees never learned how to use grammar or how to construct recursions, two things which many linguists point to as unique aspects of language. Later attempts to have chimpanzees learn by observation as human infants do have also been successful, but there are still no signs that they have learned grammar. Some linguists such as Noam Chomsky have suggested that humans have specialized areas of the brain devoted to processing language and that we are hardwired to do so. Such hypotheses explain why apparently intelligent apes are unable to form language .
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However, later work by Herbert Terrace suggested that the behaviour of Washoe and others was, to a large extent, imitating the researchers rather than spontaneous. Furthermore, Washoe and other chimpanzees never learned how to use grammar or how to construct recursions, two things which many linguists point to as unique aspects of language. Later attempts to have chimpanzees learn by observation as human infants do have also been successful, but there are still no signs that they have learned grammar. Some linguists such as Noam Chomsky have suggested that humans have specialized areas of the brain devoted to processing language and that we are hardwired to do so. Such hypotheses explain why apparently intelligent apes are unable to form language