Recent research indicates that bonobos, closely related to humans, demonstrate a unique ability to combine vocalizations in a way akin to human language's compositionality. This finding, which overlaps the genetic makeup of humans and bonobos, suggests that the principle of constructing complex meanings from simpler units is not exclusively human. Led by Melissa Berthet from the University of Zurich, the study involved extensive observation at the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve to decode the meanings of individual bonobo vocalizations, proving their proficiency in complex communication.
"We wanted to see if bonobos also have this ability to combine vocalizations meaningfully, similar to humans. Our research shows they do, which is groundbreaking for understanding animal communication."
"Compositionality, the principle that complex expressions are formed by combining simpler elements, was thought to be unique to humans, but our findings reveal bonobos share this trait."
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