The story
A study has shown that chimpanzees take turns in conversations in a similar way to humans.
Chimps use gestures to communicate. Reseachers observed that chimps allow others to make their point, before quickly stepping in with a response. Chimpanzees also interrupt each other, just as humans do.
This communciation allows the animals to share food and organise their activities.
News headlines
Chimps share humans’ ‘snappy‘ conversational style
BBC News
Chimpanzees communicate in similar quick-fire fashion to humans, study shows
The Guardian
Chimpanzees gesture back and forth quickly like in human conversations
EurekAlert
Key words and phrases
snappy
quick, concise and effective
- Here’s a nice snappy recipe that’s perfect for week nights.
quick-fire
rapidly, one after another
- The chef tried to follow the waitresses’s quick-fire list of orders, but she had to ask her to repeat them all.
back and forth
move in one direction, and then come back
- He watched the water go back and forth as the waves broke on the beach.