Humans are the only animals that have the power of speech.

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   Obscure_Treasuresposted 12 years ago

   Humans are the only animals that have the power of speech. Do we take advantage of this power?

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      Merlin Fraserposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      There are many different forms of language and it is pure arrogance on the part of man that makes us claim some sort of superiority over the other animals.
      
      Clearly to ask such a question indicates that you do not spend much time in the company of or watching our fellow creatures that share the planet with us. 
      
      They communicate in ways we have long since forgotten which is why we have wars and they don't.
      
      Many domesticated creatures who share our lives can read and understand our body movements far more clearly than our fellow humans. When they hear words they respond to tone and volume rather than the words, they will look at you and the combination of your body language and the vocal command is all they need.
      
      We should be learning from them not holding ourselves up as some sort of superior life form.

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      Evan G Rogersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      There is absolutely no doubt in my mind, WHATSOEVER that we, humans, in ANY way shape or form, ever take advantage of the wondrous power that is language.
      
      日本人でも、アメリカ人でも、全然話さないよ。

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         kerrygposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Нет, никогда!

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   ahorsebackposted 12 years ago

   Actually all animals speak ! Its just that we don't listen enough in our self indulging mentality!

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   Sherlock221bposted 12 years ago

   Most animals make sounds which can be thought of as speech.  My cat has different meows for different things.  I recognise whether he is asking for food or to be let out or just wants to have a tickle under the chin.  I see it as a foreign language, of which I only know a couple of words.   Animals can also recognise human language.  For instance, cats and dogs recognise their names when you call them.  Some birds such as parrots can repeat human words.  Whether they understand them though is not known.

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   kerrygposted 12 years ago

   Actually, lots of animals have both speech and language, and we're discovering more and more sophisticated animal languages in fairly surprising places. Prairie dogs, for example, and bees.
   
   I think it would be more accurate to say that animals don't have the power of abstract speech, but even that periodically gets called into question. Some whale songs, for example, appear to be territorial and others calls for mates, but the meaning of many others is a complete mystery to us because they are not obviously attached to some specific purpose.

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   earnestshubposted 12 years ago

   We have a dog, two cats and an Eclectus Parrot. I understand quite a few words in each language, especially from Eric the parrot who even thanks me if he gets exactly what he wants. He has dozens of ways of saying things. I know what he wants when I go to the fridge and get something out he likes, I know when he wants an audience to show off, when he wants to go to sleep, he has language for all of those and more. It is just that I speak lousy parrot at times, otherwise we understand each other pretty well. The dogs and cats are a breeze!

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   tobey100posted 12 years ago

   Unless you count that dog on Funniest Home Videos that says, "I love you" even though he doesn't speak very plain.

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   ahorsebackposted 12 years ago

   Maybe ...Just maybe ...why do humans  have ears and yet we are so lousy at "listening"...LOL.

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