Background/ Other species - part 1

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LANGUAGE RESEARCH ON OTHER SPECIES

Alex the Parrot

Alex was an African Grey parrot who was the subject of research conducted by Dr. Irene Pepperberg at the University of Arizona.  During his lifetime, Alex learned a 70-word vocabulary that includes thirty object names, seven colors, five shape adjectives, numbers up to 6, and a variety of other words including the abstract concepts of same and different.

Here follows a transcript of a dialogue:

Irene:  Okay, Alex, here's your tray. Will you tell me how many blue block?
Alex:  Block.
Irene:  That's right, block - how many blue block?
Alex:  Four.
Irene:  That's right. Do you want the block?
Alex:  Wanna nut.
Irene:  Okay, here's a nut.  (Waits while Alex eats the nut.)  Now, can you tell me how many green wool?
Alex:  Sisss...
Irene:  Good boy!

The parrot Alex’s talents in a peasized brain raise some very interesting questions.  Perhaps the cognitive processes required for symbolic communication are less complex than we tend to assume?

NEXT: Kanzi the Bonobo