A polyglot learned ‘Ape Language’ to blend in — and bonobos absolutely lost it when he spoke

We often hear about researchers studying how animals can learn human language, but what happens when a human tries to speak like an animal? For weeks, an influencer and a polyglot named Arieh Smith—who goes by @xiaomanyc on YouTube—had been secretly studying ape communication to do something rarely tried before—speak to bonobos using their language. He shared the whole journey on his YouTube page. While researchers have long worked to teach bonobos human language, it’s almost unheard of for a person to communicate with them on their terms, using bonobo vocalizations and gestures.

So when Smith walked into a bonobo research center and attempted to pass himself off as one of them, the apes were stunned and fully engaged. Smith made this video as a fundraiser for Ape Initiative, a federally recognized nonprofit and the only bonobo research center in the world. The facility works to study bonobo behavior and ensure their preservation in the wild. Before diving into the experiment, he spent time learning about bonobos from the experts. He noted, "Bonobos and humans shared a common ancestor about 6 million years ago, and our DNA is almost 99% identical." They also have their way of communicating using Lexigram symbols.

One of the most famous bonobos, Kanzi, has learned to use over 300 Lexigram symbols to communicate. But when he does not have a symbol for something, he comes up with his own name. One of the experts told Smith, "One really good example is he called Brussels sprouts… trash lettuce." Instead of testing how much human language bonobos could learn, he attempted to communicate using their signals. His first group was two bonobos, Kanzi and Teco. To establish rapport, he used ground slapping and nods, which is the bonobo way of saying, "Chase me." He even tried imitating their play face and laughter. "Oh, he's kissing you. That's sweet. He's enthralled," the expert said.

Keeping up with bonobos, however, was exhausting. Then, one of the bonobos started gesturing to Smith. He asked, "What's he saying?" The expert answered, "He probably wants you to go over now to the [lexigram] keyboard." Surprisingly, the bonobo understood English and requested while pointing at the Lexigram keyboard. The expert decoded, "So they play water chase, where he'll get misted with the hose. And he loves that." For the second round, Smith met Maisha, Clara, Mali, and Elikya, and they immediately tried communicating back. Almost immediately, they tried responding under the door before it even opened, anxious to see who was making bonobo sounds on the other side.

When he mimicked food peeping, a bonobo vocalization used during mealtime, one of them recognized the sound and responded right away. Then, Clara began head-bobbing, a motion often used for long-distance communication. It was the bonobo equivalent of waving at a friend across a coffee shop. Excited, Smith tried the double handclap. The bonobos instantly understood. By this point, he had earned their trust. Beyond the hilarious and heartwarming moments, Smith also shared that bonobos are critically endangered, and their survival depends on raising awareness. The researcher said, "That's why it's so important to have people know about bonobos. So we can do more to help protect them and their natural habitats."

You can follow Arieh Smith (@xiaomanyc) on YouTube for more 'polyglot' content.