• ook@discuss.tchncs.de
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    4 months ago

    Probably rather humans. Animals might not be able to reason well and what they have to say may be quite annoying. I mean my cat likely just keeps asking about food and to be brushed. I’d rather hear the meow instead of actual words. Same with birds. Which begs the question, if you’d understand what birds say, would you still hear the song of it?

  • karashta@piefed.social
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    4 months ago

    Any human language…

    Does this mean I know Proto-Indo-European, too? Or only currently living languages? Or only languages we have written representations of?

  • MyDogLovesMe@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    There was a gorilla that learned sign language. It learned hundreds/thousands (?) of words.

    …once you got past the initial cool/cute/fun factor, conversation was about as stimulating speaking to a toddler.

    Animals? Cool but likely useless.

  • Secret Music 🎵 [they/them]@piefed.blahaj.zone
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    4 months ago

    Ooh this is a fun question. I would definitely go for speaking to animals. Human languages can be learnt with study in the real world but speaking to animals on more than just a basic level is magical or super powers type shit.

    I get visions of living in a cabin in the woods chatting with my bird and squirrel and fox friends. And developing an understanding with the local bear to watch each other’s backs.

    Or raising armies to help with the uprising.

    • Madzielle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      4 months ago

      I just want to talk to my tiger cat for 5 minutes so I can convince him to wear kitty socks in the winter, he’d be warmer and less grumpy. He likes to “tent” in these months, and his little baby feet are always so cold!

  • lath@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Flawed question. Humans are animals and all animals speak the language of “fuck!”.