Read the following passage ("Ape Talk ( From Gua to Nim Chimpsky'') outlining the history of attempts to teach apes to talk and sketching the controversy resulting from these attempts. Which of the following statements represents an assumption shared by individuals on each side of the argument, rather than an inference or an observation? Circle the letter of the best answer, and explain why it is the best answer and why each other answer is not as good.

1. Communication cannot be called language unless it has phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.
2. Washoe put signs together in ways that her trainer had not taught her.
3. Apes do not understand language; rather, they learn to imitate their trainers.
4. Sarah used a symbol that meant "same as'' when she asked whether "banana is yellow'' was the same as "yellow color of bananas.''
5. Chimps use signs to communicate meaning.

ANSWER KEY

1. This is the assumption shared by both sides. The criterion used to determine whether a communication system qualifies as a language is the presence of one or more rule systems that govern features of the communication system. Individuals on both sides of the debate appear to accept this as a rule for the debate, and what they argue about is whether the communications of apes possess this particular language attribute.

2. This is an observation. Researchers noted and recorded that Washoe put together new combinations of the 160 signs that she had learned.

3. This is an inference. It is Herbert Terrace's interpretation of ape behavior that others have called language. He noted that trainers made signs that the apes reproduced and inferred that this meant that the apes were merely imitating their trainers.

4. This is an observation. It is what researchers saw Sarah do in response to the question.

5. This is an inference. It is the conclusion many researchers have reached from attempts to teach language to apes. Herbert Terrace, however, disputes this claim.