Loulis
Encyclopedia : L : LO : LOU : Loulis
Loulis (b. May 10 ,1978) is a chimpanzee who is claimed to be the first non-human to ever learn a human language from other non-humans. However, to what extent Loulis or other apes have truly learned to use language is disputed (see Ape language).
Loulis was named for two caregivers (Louise and Lisa) at the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center in Atlanta, Georgia, where he was born. After ten months at Yerkes, Loulis was transferrred to the Oklahoma-based Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute (CHCI), where he was adopted by Washoe, a chimpanzee. Loulis's biological mother remained at Yerkes and was used for medical research.
Washoe and many of the other chimpanzees at CHCI were trained in American Sign Language long before Loulis arrived. The chimpanzees regulary used the hand signals to communicate with each other and humans, though there is dispute to what extent this can be called use of language. After eight days with Washoe, Loulis learned his first sign. For the first five years of his life, Loulis's human handlers only used seven signs around him (the signs used were who, which, want, where, name, that, and sign).
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