Language of Great Apes, Great Ape Trust, Des Moines, Iowa

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LANGUAGE OF BONOBOS

One of the methods in which researchers at Great Ape Trust will communicate with bonobos is through the use of lexigram boards. Each lexigram, or symbol, represents a word. However, the symbols are not necessarily characteristic of the word they represent.

Researchers and bonobos communicate with three lexigram panels containing 384 symbols and words. The development of computer-monitored lexigram keyboards was a key component to studies conducted at the Language Research Center at Georgia State University in Atlanta. Similar keyboards have helped children and adults with language deficits. See the lexigram boards by clicking on the samples below.

Each of the lexigrams below have a specific meaning. Click on any of the links to see how researchers and bonobos use these symbols to communicate with one another.
	Lexigram 1 Download JPG Download PDF	Lexigram 2 Download JPG Download PDF

	Lexigram 3 Download JPG Download PDF	Interactive Lexigram Play now Shockwave Player required to use the interactive lexigram board.

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