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Would you rather be able to speak every language in the world or be able to speak to animals? (Original Post) True Dough 12 hrs ago OP
Animals! Duh....who wants to talk to people? biophile 12 hrs ago #1
To communicate with another species would be a quantum leap! splat 12 hrs ago #2
what do you think of koko the signing gorilla? rampartd 11 hrs ago #3
Would love to communicate with animals TommieMommy 10 hrs ago #4
Just so you know Niagara 10 hrs ago #5
Oh, so that makes you the True Dough 9 hrs ago #9
Oh, the "lion blinker" Niagara 5 hrs ago #16
I want to be Dr. Doolittle and talk with the animals. sinkingfeeling 10 hrs ago #6
Truly, I would not want to be able to talk to animals unless I had as much money as Elon Musk. Baitball Blogger 10 hrs ago #7
Easy. I would rather speak with my dogs than most humans. Polly Hennessey 10 hrs ago #8
Definitely animals. littlemissmartypants 9 hrs ago #10
Always the studious researcher, LMSP! True Dough 9 hrs ago #11
True, I read every single book that the library had that was part of that series. littlemissmartypants 9 hrs ago #12
If I spoke every language, it would include animal speak. WhiteTara 7 hrs ago #13
I would love to speak the languages of all animals. Solly Mack 6 hrs ago #14
I already speak a selection of species Marthe48 6 hrs ago #15
I only speak Gibberish, Marthe Niagara 5 hrs ago #17
Not gibberish at all Marthe48 4 hrs ago #18
Thank you, Marthe Niagara 4 hrs ago #19

rampartd

(5,871 posts)
3. what do you think of koko the signing gorilla?
Sat Jul 11, 2026, 08:09 AM
11 hrs ago

or the dogs who push buttons?

koko was becoming fairly philosophical as she aged. i wonder if there are some quotes.

https://www.greenmatters.com/nature/koko-the-gorilla-last-words

"The caregiver showed Koko a skeleton and asked, 'Is this alive or dead?' Koko signed, 'Dead, draped.' 'Draped' means 'covered up.' Then the caregiver asked, 'Where do animals go when they die?' Koko said, 'A comfortable hole.' Then she gave a kiss goodbye," Francine said.

Niagara

(12,499 posts)
5. Just so you know
Sat Jul 11, 2026, 09:19 AM
10 hrs ago

I do speak to animals, True.


I saw Mufasa in 2016. I let a larger group of people get way ahead of me so that I could see him without others around. Mufasa was roaring very loudly before I reached him. This group left his enclosure went on ahead to visit with the other animals.

When I got up to Mufasa I got at his level and I squatted down. He then laid down. I gave him a bunch of slow blinks. By the time I stood back up, his eyes were closed and he was resting after I gave this handsome guy plenty of slow blinks! I literally put him to sleep just by communicating with my eyes!

He crossed the Rainbow Bridge in 2018.


True Dough

(27,802 posts)
9. Oh, so that makes you the
Sat Jul 11, 2026, 10:09 AM
9 hrs ago

"lion blinker"? (As opposed to the "dog whisperer?" )

Would you feel safe by yourself walking across the Serengeti with only those eyelashes to protect you?



Niagara

(12,499 posts)
16. Oh, the "lion blinker"
Sat Jul 11, 2026, 03:02 PM
5 hrs ago

I like that!

No, I wouldn't feel safe at all. Now when people post OP's about big cats, I always joke around and say, "Come to Auntie Niagara!" in the responses. But I would never do so in all seriousness because they're pretty much apex predators.



Baitball Blogger

(52,996 posts)
7. Truly, I would not want to be able to talk to animals unless I had as much money as Elon Musk.
Sat Jul 11, 2026, 09:37 AM
10 hrs ago

If I listened to them, I would also learn about their hardships and with my personality, I would have to become their advocate. Since I would be the only one in the world with this ability, it would be too much of an emotional experience to bear. Only if I had the money to provide for them and pay for the campaign to change what the world knows about animals, would I be able to live with the gift of talking to animals.

Polly Hennessey

(9,101 posts)
8. Easy. I would rather speak with my dogs than most humans.
Sat Jul 11, 2026, 09:51 AM
10 hrs ago

How wonderful to know what they are really thinking. Of course, it might not be what I want to hear. Pretty sure they would tell me to stop 💋 kissing the top of their heads. My cats would say, “not now I am trying to sleep 💤 when are you going to feed me and tell the dogs to bugger off.” I would never expect a thank you from the cats.

littlemissmartypants

(35,962 posts)
10. Definitely animals.
Sat Jul 11, 2026, 10:09 AM
9 hrs ago

I've read all of the Dr. Doolittle stories so I have a head start. I already have an advanced degree that covered linguistics. 😉

littlemissmartypants

(35,962 posts)
12. True, I read every single book that the library had that was part of that series.
Sat Jul 11, 2026, 10:57 AM
9 hrs ago

In one summer vacation with time to spare. I was eight. I think there are a dozen of them.

Publication Order of Doctor Dolittle Books
https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/doctor-dolittle/

https://bookroo.com/books/series/doctor-dolittle

Marthe48

(23,872 posts)
15. I already speak a selection of species
Sat Jul 11, 2026, 01:30 PM
6 hrs ago

Dog, cat, squirrel, and a universal sound that birds understand

Human language not so much


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