Study of Primates Indicates Grammar is Linked to Memory

According to NewScientist, a study employing 14 cotton-top tamarins and nonsense words broadcast over speakers indicates the primates may intuitively recognise some rules of grammar. The findings suggest some of the skills required for language may be linked to basic memory functions.

The addition of syllables, either at the beginning or at the end of a word, is found across many languages. Researcher Ansgar Endress and colleagues at Harvard think this structure might be linked to basic memory functions that are independent of language. If their findings prove true, it will provide insight into how children learn grammatical structures.