Three Things: Talking Animals Edition
According to Greek mythology, a man named Melampous was endowed with the ability to understand the language of birds and creeping things, after snakes licked his ears with their tongue one day while he was sleeping. He became a renowned soothsayer, even once escaping captivity by listening to wood worms and warning his captors of the impending roof collapse, saving their lives and his, and with their gratitude, earning his freedom.
Anthropomorphism is hardly a rare thing in literature (or on the internet for that matter: LOLcats, hello). We humans just can’t help but wonder what animals are thinking sometimes, and wondering what it would be like if suddenly, one day, we could understand them.
This week I’ve collected three animals. Three critters who look to me as if they have something to share, and three people nearby who are suddenly about to be given the gift of understanding them. Care to put words in their mouths?
Henri Matisse, Woman Before an Aquarium, 1921–3. Oil on canvas. The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL.
Edgar Degas, Place de la Concorde, 1875. Oil on canvas. Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Paulus Potter, The Young Bull, 1647. Oil on canvas. The Hague, Netherlands.
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What if a chimpanzee could communicate with sign language? Actually that’s already happened; his name was Washoe. What if technology could advance sign language into plain English? This too has already occurred, via the “Talking Glove,” invented by a Stanford Scientist.
A charismatic chimp. American Sign Language. Synthesized speech. The trial of the century.
Waterfall Dance, a novel about what it means to be human. Reading is believing. Available online everywhere.
Hi Andrew. Your book, Waterfall Dance, is a perfect example of an answer to the question, “What would an animal say if they could speak?” Thanks for sharing!
Am I right in thinking that you were signing books at the table next to us at the TC Book Festival? I’m not sure we got a chance to formally meet that day, but I’m glad that we’re “meeting” now as a result! Best of luck to you, hope to hear more from you in the future.
Hey Hazel.
Yes, that was me at the Raintaxi book festival. It was a busy day and I apologize for failing to introduce myself. I love your site, a virtual coffee house for readers and writers.
Answering the question, “What would an animal say,” isn’t so easy. It was a lot of fun to speculate in the novel as to complexity, thought process, emotion, and so forth. Few people realize just how close this day is. Most, if they take a moment to consider it, quickly conclude that it would change almost everything about our relationship with animals, and our views of God and self.
Almost 50 now, I believe I’ll live to see it.