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Scientists at Great Ape Trust are exploring the abilities of orangutans to use symbols and syntax to express their thoughts. The orangutans are learning to use a symbol-based language that is presented on a computer monitor. The monitor screen has large "buttons" that are big enough for orangutan fingers. 

The dictionary available on the monitor contains about 70 symbols. All symbols are abstract and have no visual relation to what they represent. There are seven categories of symbols, each containing ten individual symbols. The categories are: foods, non-food objects, proper names of people, proper names of orangutans, verbs, adjectives and arabic numbers.

Each category of symbols has its own specific exterior shape. For example, a rectangle alone means "food" and a circle alone means "non-food object." Individually, the interior components of each symbol are meaningless. It's the arrangement within the exterior shape that gives each symbol a specific meaning. In addition to the major categories, there are symbols that mean "send," "clear," "yes/good," and "no/wrong." The dictionary can be expanded as the orangutans learn more symbols.

The orangutans participate in this project on a voluntary basis. The animals are never coerced into working by being deprived of food, companionship, play time or anything else.