Susan Savage-Rumbaugh: The gentle genius of bonobos

翻译人员: Peiran Gao 校对人员: Tony Yet

I work with a species called "Bonobo."

我以研究一种叫做矮黑猩猩（Bonobo）的动物为生。

And I'm happy most of the time,

多数时候我很快乐，

because I think this is the happiest species on the planet.

因为我觉得它们是地球上最幸福的物种。

It's kind of a well-kept secret.

一个不为人知的秘密。

This species lives only in the Congo.

它们仅生活在刚果。

And they're not in too many zoos, because of their sexual behavior.

由于它们特殊的性行为，往往不被动物园饲养。

Their sexual behavior is too human-like

因为（性行为）太像人了

for most of us to be comfortable with.

大多数人难以接受。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

But --

但是⋯⋯

(Laughter)

（笑声）

actually, we have a lot to learn from them, because they're a very

它们有很多值得我们学习的地方，

egalitarian society and they're a very empathetic society.

矮黑猩猩的社会是平等和相互关心的。

And sexual behavior is not confined to one aspect of their life

性行为不仅限于

that they sort of set aside.

生活的一部分。

It permeates their entire life.

在各个方面（性行为）都有影响。

And it's used for communication.

可以用来交流，

And it's used for conflict resolution.

和解决争端。

And I think perhaps somewhere in our history we sort of,

也许在人类历史的某个阶段，

divided our lives up into lots of parts.

我们逐渐把生活分成不通的部分。

We divided our world up with lots of categories.

我们将世界分门别类。

And so everything sort of has a place that it has to fit.

任何事物有其特定的位置。

But I don't think that we were that way initially.

但我不认为人类从来就是如此。

There are many people who think that the animal world is hard-wired

很多人认为动物的世界（行为）是由基因决定的，

and that there's something very, very special about man.

而我们人类是非常特别的。

Maybe it's his ability to have causal thought.

也许是我们的逻辑思维能力。

Maybe it's something special in his brain

也许因为（人类）大脑的与众不同

that allows him to have language.

他们才有了语言能力。

Maybe it's something special in his brain

因为（人类）大脑的与众不同

that allows him to make tools or to have mathematics.

他们才发明了工具和数学。

Well, I don't know. There were Tasmanians who were discovered

我并不认同，塔斯马尼亚人（澳洲土人）

around the 1600s and they had no fire.

到了17世纪仍不会使用火。

They had no stone tools.

他们没有石器。

To our knowledge they had no music.

据我所知，他们也没有音乐。

So when you compare them to the Bonobo,

把他们与矮黑猩猩相比，

the Bonobo is a little hairier.

矮黑猩猩毛更多一些。

He doesn't stand quite as upright.

（矮黑猩猩）还没完全直立。

But there are a lot of similarities.

但是却有很多相似之处。

And I think that as we look at culture,

看看我们的文化，

we kind of come to understand

我们大概理解

how we got to where we are.

我们是如何走到今天的。

And I don't really think it's in our biology;

我不认为这是生物学决定的，

I think we've attributed it to our biology,

尽管大多数人是这么想的，

but I don't really think it's there.

但我不认同。

So what I want to do now is introduce you

所以在这里，我向你介绍

to a species called the Bonobo.

一种叫做矮黑猩猩的动物。

This is Kanzi.

它是Kanzi。

He's a Bonobo.

它是一只矮黑猩猩。

Right now, he's in a forest in Georgia.

它现在生活在乔治亚州的森林里。

His mother originally came from a forest in Africa.

它的母亲来自非洲丛林。

And she came to us when she was just at puberty,

它（Tanzi的母亲）大约在青春期来到（乔治亚），

about six or seven years of age.

六七岁左右。

Now this shows a Bonobo on your right,

右边是一只矮黑猩猩，

and a chimpanzee on your left.

左边是一只黑猩猩。

Clearly, the chimpanzee has a little bit harder time of walking.

很显然，黑猩猩直立行走起来更困难一些。

The Bonobo, although shorter than us and their arms still longer,

尽管矮黑猩猩比我们矮，手臂也更长，

is more upright, just as we are.

但和我们一样站得更直。

This shows the Bonobo compared to an australopithecine like Lucy.

这是矮黑猩猩和类人猿的比较。

As you can see, there's not a lot of difference

你可以看到，它们没什么区别，

between the way a Bonobo walks

矮黑猩猩的姿势，

and the way an early australopithecine would have walked.

和类人猿的姿势。

As they turn toward us you'll see

它们转向我们，可以看到

that the pelvic area of early australopithecines is a little flatter

类人猿的骨盆更平滑

and doesn't have to rotate quite so much from side to side.

不用那么左右旋转。

So the -- the bipedal gait is a little easier.

所以两足行走更方便。

And now we see all four.

它（他）们四个在一起。

Video: Narrator: The wild Bonobo lives in central Africa, in the jungle

记录片：野生矮黑猩猩生活在中非

encircled by the Congo River.

被刚果河环绕的丛林中。

Canopied trees as tall as 40 meters, 130 feet,

40米高的热带植物

grow densely in the area.

密集地生长在这个地区。

It was a Japanese scientist

一位日本科学家

who first undertook serious field studies of the Bonobo,

最先在野外仔细地观察和学习矮黑猩猩。

almost three decades ago.

这是30年前了。

Bonobos are built slightly smaller than the chimpanzee.

矮黑猩猩比黑猩猩略小。

Slim-bodied, Bonobos are by nature very gentle creatures.

苗条的矮黑猩猩是天生温和的生物。

Long and careful studies have reported many new findings on them.

长期、细致的研究（科学家）对它们的发现越来越多。

One discovery was that wild Bonobos often walk bidpedally.

矮黑猩猩常常直立行走是发现之一。

What's more, they are able to walk upright for long distances.

更重要的是它们能够在远距离行走中保持直立。

Susan Savage-Rumbaugh (video): Let's go say hello to Austin first and then go to the A frame.

我们先去给Austin打个招呼，然后去A frame。

SS: This is Kanzi and I, in the forest.

Susan Savage-Rumbaugh: Kanzi和我在树林里。

None of the things you will see in this particular video are trained.

你在这里看到的都不是训练而来的。

None of them are tricks.

没有任何作假。

They all happened to be captured on film spontaneously,

都是自然发生的情景被日本NHK电视台

by NHK of Japan.

用胶片记录下来。

We have eight Bonobos.

我们有8只矮黑猩猩。

Video: Look at all this stuff that's here for our campfire.

记录片：看看这都是给我们营火准备的。

SS: An entire family at our research centre.

Susan：我们的研究中心是一整个家庭。

Video: You going to help get some sticks?

记录片：去帮忙找些柴火？

Good.

好。

We need more sticks, too.

我们还要更多的柴火。

I have a lighter in my pocket if you need one.

你要的话，我口袋里有个打火机。

That's a wasps' nest.

那是个马蜂窝。

You can get it out.

你可以拿出来。

I hope I have a lighter.

但愿我是有个打火机。

You can use the lighter to start the fire.

你可以用打火机点火。

SS: So Kanzi is very interested in fire.

Susan：Kanzi对火很感兴趣。

He doesn't do it yet without a lighter,

没有打火机，它还不能点火，

but I think if he saw someone do it, he might be able to do --

但我觉得它要是看到别人做，也许会学会

make a fire without a lighter.

不依靠打火机生活。

He's learning about how to keep a fire going.

它在学如何不让火灭掉。

He's learning the uses for a fire,

它在学怎么用火，

just by watching what we do with fire.

通过观察我们用火做什么。

(Laughter)

（笑声）（烤棉花糖是美国人野营必须的项目）

This is a smile on the face of a Bonobo.

这是矮黑猩猩的笑脸。

These are happy vocalizations.

这是它们高兴时发出的声音。

Video: You're happy.

记录片：你很开心

You're very happy about this part.

你更喜欢这部分。

You've got to put some water on the fire. You see the water?

你得把水浇在火上。看到水没有？

Good job.

做的好。

SS: Forgot to zip up the back half of his backpack.

Susan：忘了把背包背面关上了。

But he likes to carry things from place to place.

它喜欢把东西背来背去。

Video: Austin, I hear you saying "Austin."

记录片：Austin，我听到你说Austin。

SS: He talks to other Bonobos at the lab, long-distance,

Susan：它可以远距离和其他矮黑猩猩交流，

farther than we can hear.

超过我们的听觉距离。

This is his sister.

这是它的妹妹。

This is her first time to try to drive a golf cart.

它第一次试着开高尔夫车。

Video: Goodbye.

记录片：再见。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

SS: She's got the pedals down, but not the wheel.

Susan：它会用油门、刹车，但还不会打方向盘。

She switches from reverse to forward

它由倒车改为前进，

and she holds onto the wheel, rather than turns it.

死抓着方向盘，而不是转动它。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Like us, she knows that that individual in the mirror is her.

和我们一样，它知道镜子里是它自己。

(Music)

（音乐）

Video: Narrator: By raising Bonobos in a culture that is both Bonobo and human,

记录片：让矮黑猩猩在人和矮黑猩猩共同的环境下长大，

and documenting their development across two decades,

同时记录它们二十年来的成长，

scientists are exploring how cultural forces

科学家在研究成长环境

(Laughter)

（笑声）

may have operated during human evolution.

是否在人类进化过程中起了重要作用。

His name is Nyota.

它的名字是Nyota。

It means "star" in Swahili.

在斯瓦希里语里是猩猩的意思。

(Music)

（音乐）

Panbanisha is trying to give Nyota a haircut with a pair of scissors.

Panbanisha试着用剪刀给Nyota理发。

In the wild, the parent Bonobo is known to groom its offspring.

野外成年的矮黑猩猩常常给它们的后代理毛。

Here Panbanisha uses scissors, instead of her hands,

Panbanish在用剪刀，而不是手

to groom Nyota.

给Nyota理毛。

Very impressive.

很了不起。

Subtle maneuvering of the hands is required

这样仔细的工作，

to perform delicate tasks like this.

需要对手细微得控制。

Nyota tries to imitate Panbanisha by using the scissors himself.

Nyota想学Panbanisha用剪刀。

Realizing that Nyota might get hurt,

想到Nyota可能会伤到自己，

Panbanisha, like any human mother,

Panbanish，像任何人类的母亲，

carefully tugs to get the scissors back.

小心翼翼地把剪刀拿走。

He can now cut through tough animal hide.

它现在可以打开坚韧的兽皮。

SS: Kanzi's learned to make stone tools.

Susan：Kanzi学会了使用石器。

Video: Kanzi now makes his tools,

记录片：Kanzi正在给自己做工具，

just as our ancestors may have made them,

就像我们的祖先

two-and-a-half million years ago --

250万年前一样－

by holding the rocks in both hands, to strike one against the other.

两手拿着石头互相敲击。

He has learned that by using both hands

它学会了用两只手

and aiming his glancing blows,

瞄准了砸，

he can make much larger, sharper flakes.

它可以做出更大、更锋利的锋刃。

Kanzi chooses a flake he thinks is sharp enough.

Kanzi选了一块它认为锋利的石器。

The tough hide is difficult to cut, even with a knife.

即使用刀，坚韧的兽皮也很难划开。

The rock that Kanzi is using is extremely hard

Kanzi用的石头非常坚硬

and ideal for stone tool making, but difficult to handle,

适用与制造石器，但不易于操作，

requiring great skill.

需要较高的技巧。

Kanzi's rock is from Gona, Ethiopia

Kanzi用的石头来自埃塞俄比亚的Gona

and is identical to that used by our African ancestors

和我们非洲祖先使用的一模一样。

two-and-a-half million years ago.

250万年前。

These are the rocks Kanzi used

这些是Kanzi用的石头

and these are the flakes he made.

和制作的石器。

The flat sharp edges are like knife blades.

平滑的锋刃和刀刃一样。

Compare them to the tools our ancestors used;

和我们祖先所使用的石器相比，

they bear a striking resemblance to Kanzi's.

Kanzi的和它们非常相像。

Panbanisha is longing to go for a walk in the woods.

Panbanisha很想去树林散步。

She keeps staring out the window.

它不停地向窗外望着。

SS: This is -- let me show you something we didn't think they would do.

Susan：当初我们并不认为它们（矮黑猩猩）能做到。

Video: For several days now, Panbanisha has not been outside.

记录片：Panbanisha已经没有外出很多天了。

SS: I normally talk about language.

Susan：我一般会介绍（它们的）语言。

Video: Then Panbanisha does something unexpected.

记录片：Panbanisha做了件我们没有预想到的。

SS: But since I'm advised not to do what I normally do,

Susan：但因为我被告知不能像往常按部就班，

I haven't told you that these apes have language.

我还没告诉你这些猿类有语言文字。

It's a geometric language.

象形文字。

Video: She takes a piece of chalk

记录片：它拿起一根粉笔

and begins writing something on the floor.

开始在地上笔画。

What is she writing?

它在写什么？

SS: She's also saying the name of that, with her voice.

Susan：它同时还用它的嗓子发出对应的声音。

Video: Now she comes up to Dr. Sue and starts writing again.

记录片：它走到Susan面前又开始写。

SS: These are her symbols on her keyboard.

Susan：这是它键盘上的符号。

(Music)

（音乐）

They speak when she touches them.

它按键盘时会发出声音

Video: Panbanisha is communicating to Dr. Sue where she wants to go.

记录片：Panbanisha在告诉Susan它想去哪儿。

"A frame" represents a hut in the woods.

A型框代表树林里的小屋。

Compare the chalk writing with the lexigram on the keyboard.

比较一下粉笔笔迹和键盘上的符号。

Panbanisha began writing the lexigrams on the forest floor.

Panbanisha开始在林地上笔画。

SS (video): Very nice. Beautiful, Panbanisha.

很好、很漂亮Panbanisha。

SS: At first we didn't really realize what she was doing,

Susan：开始我们并不知道它在做什么，

until we stood back and looked at it and rotated it.

直到我们站在远处转过来看。

Video: This lexigram also refers to a place in the woods.

记录片：这个符号代表树林里的一个地方。

The curved line is very similar to the lexigram.

这条曲线和键盘上的符号很像。

The next symbol Panbanisha writes represents "collar."

接着Panbanisha写的下一个符号代表颈圈。

It indicates the collar that Panbanisha must wear when she goes out.

它（符号）代表Panbanisha外出必须戴上颈圈。

SS: That's an institutional requirement.

Susan：这是研究机构要求的。

Video: This symbol is not as clear as the others,

记录片：这个符号并不像别的明显，

but one can see Panbanisha is trying to produce a curved line

但可以看出Panbanisha试图画一道曲线

and several straight lines.

和几条直线。

Researchers began to record what Panbanisha said,

研究人员在Panbanisha说话时

by writing lexigrams on the floor with chalk.

用粉笔写下对应的符号。

Panbanisha watched.

Panbinisha观察着。

Soon she began to write as well.

很快它也开始笔画。

The Bonobo's abilities have stunned scientists around the world.

矮黑猩猩的能力震惊了全世界的科学家。

How did they develop?

它们（能力）是如何发展的？

SS (video): We found that the most important thing

Susan：我们发现

for permitting Bonobos to acquire language is not to teach them.

让矮黑猩猩学会语言最重要的不是教它们。

It's simply to use language around them,

而是在它们周围使用语言。

because the driving force in language acquisition

因为推进语言发展的

is to understand what others, that are important to you, are saying to you.

最重要的是理解身边相关的人在说些什么。

Once you have that capacity,

当你有了这样的能力，

the ability to produce language

语言

comes rather naturally and rather freely.

就自然而然的产生了。

So we want to create an environment in which Bonobos,

所以我们希望创造一个环境让矮黑猩猩

like all of the individuals with whom they are interacting --

喜爱所有和它们有关的人。

we want to create an environment in which they have fun,

我们想要建立一个环境让它们觉得有趣，

and an environment in which the others

让每一个工作人员

are meaningful individuals for them.

都是对它们有意义的人。

Narrator: This environment brings out unexpected potential

这样的环境让意料不到潜能

in Kanzi and Panbanisha.

在Kanzi和Panbanisha身上充分发挥。

Panbanisha is enjoying playing her harmonica,

Panbanisha很喜欢吹它的口琴，

until Nyota, now one year old, steals it.

直到一岁的Nyota把口琴抢走。

Then he peers eagerly into his mother's mouth.

它很好奇地看着母亲的嘴里。

Is he looking for where the sound came from?

它是不是在找（口琴的）声音是从哪儿来得呢？

Dr. Sue thinks it's important to allow such curiosity to flourish.

Susan认为这样的好奇心应得到充分的发展。

This time Panbanisha is playing the electric piano.

这次Panbanisha在弹电子琴。

She wasn't forced to learn the piano;

它不是被逼着学的，

she saw a researcher play the instrument and took an interest.

而是看到研究员弹琴后而来的兴致。

Researcher: Go ahead. Go ahead. I'm listening.

继续。继续。我在听。

Do that real fast part that you did. Yeah, that part.

弹你刚刚弹得很快的那一段。对，就是那段。

Narrator: Kanzi plays the xylophone;

Kanzi在弹木琴，

using both hands he enthusiastically accompanies Dr. Sue's singing.

（它）用两只手热心地配合Susan的歌词。

Kanzi and Panbanisha

Kanzi和Panbanisha

are stimulated by this fun-filled environment,

受到这样充满乐趣的环境的鼓励，

which promotes the emergence of these cultural capabilities.

渐渐发展出这些文化能力。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Researcher: OK, now get the monsters. Get them.

OK，现在去吃怪物。抓住它们。

Take the cherries too.

别忘了吃樱桃。

Now watch out, stay away from them now.

现在小心，离怪物远点儿。

Now you can chase them again. Time to chase them.

又可以吃怪物了。快追。

Now you have to stay away. Get away.

现在得逃。快逃。

Run away. Run.

快跑，跑。

Now we can chase them again. Go get them.

又可以吃它们了。追。

Oh no!

哦不！

Good Kanzi. Very good. Thank you so much.

做的好Kanzi。谢谢你。

Narrator: None of us, Bonobo or human, can possibly even imagine?

无论是矮黑猩猩还是人类都无法想像这些。

SS: So we have a bi-species environment, we call it a "panhomoculture."

Susan：我们有一个双物种的环境，叫做“泛猿类文化”

We're learning how to become like them.

我们学习如何更像它们。

We're learning how to communicate with them,

学习如何与它们交流，

in really high-pitched tones.

用很高的音调。

We're learning that they probably have a language in the wild.

我们发现野生矮黑猩猩应该是有语言能力的。

And they're learning to become like us.

同时，它们在学习成为我们（人类）。

Because we believe that it's not biology; it's culture.

我们认为这并不是天生的，而是文化（环境）。

So we're sharing tools and technology and language

所以我们分享工具、科技和语言，

with another species.

和另一个物种。

Thank you.

谢谢。