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An elephant Korea has become a language student. Koshik, a 22-year-old male elephant, is already fluent speaking "elephantese," but he is now trying to learn the Korean language Hangul. A report Koshik was printed the online journal "Current Biology". The author the report is Dr Angela Stoeger-Horwath, who works the University of Vienna in Austria. Researchers said Koshik has been listening to human speech many years and has slowly learned to copy it. He can now say the Korean hello, sit , no, lie , good, not yet, and yes. Dr Stoeger-Horwath asked 16 Koreans to listen to 47 recordings Koshik. They could all understand what he was saying.

The researchers gave a few reasons why they think Koshik can talk. One possibility is that he has a very close relationship his trainer, Kim Jong-gab. Mr Kim often sleeps near Koshik to keep him company. The trainer talks to him every day, so Koshik copied what he heard. Another is that the elephant is lonely and wants to communicate people and have friends. The research team said the way Koshik makes sounds is very unusual - he uses his trunk to reproduce human speech. They said he is much better making vowel sounds consonant sounds. Trainer Kim Jong-gab said he has one more phrase that he wants to teach Koshik - "Saranghae," or "I love you."