Trunk talk: Elephant in S. Korea imitates human speech

[claud3]

Trunk talk: Elephant in S. Korea imitates human speech

For many years the Everland Zoo in South Korea claimed their 22-year-old elephant, Koshik, was using his trunk to imitate human speech. International scientists finally confirm the elephant indeed has a unique ability to pick up words.

Trainer Kim Jong-Gap (L) speaks to Koshik, a 22-year-old male Asian elephant at the Everland Zoo in Yongin, 49 kms (29 miles) south of Seoul on November 2, 2012. (AFP Photo/Kim Jae-Hwan)


The 5.5 tonne Asian elephant has learned to reproduce five Korean words. The animal puts his trunk in his mouth and produces words "annyeong" (hello), "anja" (sit down), “aniya” , "nuwo" (lie down) and "joa" (good), the scientists said in a joint paper published online in Current Biology.
Though Korean has fewer consonants than many European languages and thus may be easier to be reproduced by an animal, Koshik’s ability is still an unprecedented phenomenon, scientists say. Koshik reproduces vowels much better, with a rate of similarity of 67 per cent, the researchers said. Consonants are a bigger challenge for him.
Researchers said the sound frequency of his “words” matches that his trainers. This, according to the researchers, is the best evidence that Koshik is deliberately imitating human speech.
There’s still no evidence that the animal actually understands what he is “saying,” even despite him obeying commands to sit and lie down by zoo employees in Korean.
Other species of animals, such as parrots and mockingbirds, are known for imitating human speech. However the scientists say Koshik's ability is different, as he uses his trunk to “speak”.



Koshik the elephant was separated from two other elephants at the age of five. Zoo trainers believe that since then he began to try to reproduce human speech to bond with his new human family. The “talking” elephant became a local celebrity and was soon mentioned by international scientists, prompting a study of his speaking talents.

In 1983, employees of a zoo in Kazakhstan claimed their teenage elephant named Batyr could reproduce jaw-dropping 20 phrases in Russian, however this claim has not been confirmed as there’s been no study on the case.

http://rt.com/art-and-culture/news/t...tes-human-904/

Ok monkeys are a given and dogs and cats are cool for talking like humans... But an elephant now

I am in awwww

Just what you want, an talking elephant that never forgets

[Silver_Knight]

I've seen this yesterday. I can't say impressed by it though.

[F34R]

No way that the elephant actually knows what the hell he's "saying". He moans out sounds he hears... ok. He's fucking brilliant.

[claud3]

Lmao.. I seen a new side to elephants and they are still afraid of miice

[F34R]

Lmao.. I seen a new side to elephants and they are still afraid of miice

That's what he was actually saying!! "KILL THE FREAKING MICE!!"

[DeviousOne]

Does it imitate dolphins?

[claud3]

That's what he was actually saying!! "KILL THE FREAKING MICE!!"

Lmao... the mice are evil little people and i for one demand Tom get out there and help

[mickice]

I think its very impressive watching animals learn human speech, for alot of animals have evolutionary skill sets not required for human speech yet they still try.

[claud3]

True.. but some people treat them with cruel tatics to make them talk and that's wrong

[Cybertox]

I dont think that teaching an elephant speak korean is something useful to do.

[claud3]

Remembering the wife's aniversey that is a good thing

[-Kwesnoth-]

An animal like an elephant is not smart enough to comprehend what its saying, simply that its imitating what people are saying.

Never on the scale of a parrot that can actually converse with people.

[claud3]

Parrots are wee shits