Final answer:
Great apes can learn simple elements of language, using gestures or symbols to communicate. Mirror neurons may be instrumental in this learning process. The example of Koko the gorilla illustrates these language learning abilities, although ape language use lacks the complexity of human language.
Step-by-step explanation:
Research has shown that great apes such as chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos, and orangutans have the capacity to learn basic aspects of language. These primates have been trained to use gestures or symbols to communicate wants and to comment on their environment, displaying what could be considered a kind of protolanguage. This is a rudimentary form of communication that may mimic the early stages of human language development. However, ape communication systems lack the complexity and generativity of human language, which is marked by an open-ended ability to create new sentences and convey an infinite number of ideas.
Mirror neurons have been identified as possibly playing a crucial role in the ability to mimic and learn language. These specialized brain cells enable primates to recognize and replicate actions seen in others, which might have been a foundational step toward the development of protolanguage and eventually complex language in humans.
Koko the gorilla is one prominent example of an ape that learned to use sign language, though the extent and interpretation of her language use remain controversial. Koko was reported to have learned around a thousand signs, used creatively to express thoughts, reminisce, and even deceive, much like human children. Yet, this capacity to learn language is highly influenced by human teaching methods and remains significantly simpler than human language.