why can't animals speak?

Question

why cant animals like cats, dogs, elephants speak ?? it would be so intresting i think, do u think in the future animals will be able to say stuff not bark,whistle......etc

Answer 1

they do speack in there own laguage dogish thats what i say for the laguage of dogs

Answer 2

Actually animals have very complex language systems. They speak a very definite language and you can learn to read what they are saying if you pay attention. It's just that most people don't try to learn it. But they can't speak French either unless they take the time to learn!

Most animals cannot mimic human language, though they can be taught to recognize simple human speech.

The exception are the apes. Koko the gorilla is capable of having fluent conversations using sign language. She just doesn't have the vocal structure to speak using sounds the way we do.

Another exception is birds. Many parrot types learn to mimic human speech even though they don't have vocal cords the way humans do. Scientists are not sure how they do this, but they certainy can mimic with a high degree of accuracy. There is some debate over whether they are actually talking or merely mimicking sounds.

I do know of a African Grey Parrot in Indiana that can hold a real, though basic conversation using human speech, and can tell the handler its preferences and respond to commands.

I had a parrot who could hold whole conversations with himself using different people's voices. Another knew many words and would use them in context, and put them together in different patterns to create knew phrases that actually made sense. I was convinced he knew what the meanings of the words were. He had a sense of humor, in a birdish fashion, and would even pull pranks on us and tell jokes on us, then laugh and laugh.

Answer 3

Well, one of the reasons why Humans are able to speak is that we are not covered in hair or fur. This means we are able to SWEAT to prevent overheating. Animals such as dogs, pant to prevent overheating. If you pant then it would be difficult to speak. Since we don't pant, we have been able to develop our vocal cords to produce language. This would be in combination with the ability to walk upright and develop a cerebral cortex.

Answer 4

Animals do not have the structure in their brains that enables humans to speak and use language.

Also the anatomy of their throats, mouths and lips don't allow for the formation of the number of complex sounds needed for speech.

Answer 5

They may not use our language, but they all communicate in their own ways bless them !
The more intelligent the animal, the more they are able to communiacte with us humans.
I wonder sometimes what my cat would say if he could talk....then I decided that I probably wouldnt want to hear it, and we would end up arguing anyway, so I am glad for his miaows !!

Answer 6

I heard a funny joke about this.....

When God created Adam and Eve, he also created a dog. Both Adam and the dog were fighting for Eve's affection.

When Eve chose Adam over the dog, the dog told her....

I will love you unconditionally, but I will never speak to you again.

Pretty cute.

Answer 7

They do speak but it's their own language. They speak Cat or Dog or Elephant, like Chinese people speak Chinese and the English can't understand it, but to them they are speaking normal and it is us English who are foreign. Get it?

Answer 8

I have an African Grey...trust me animals can TALK. You can just understand parrots better then other animals. Greys dont just mimic they actually understand what they are saying and what you are saying. Trust me...You spend a day with an african grey you understand what im saying.

Answer 9

What I'd like to know is how come , if they can understand us when we speak, and we can't understand when they speak, what makes us think we are smarter than they are?

Answer 10

they can speak, just that few people take the time to listen

they cannot say words like humans can, and I imagine that they are more peacefull because of that.... really its because of the placement of the voice box

I talk to my llamas often its really kinda fun

Answer 11

They can they just do not speak human because no one knows how to translate it so that they can learn it!