Humans are the only species on this planet which have the ability to “talk”. So what is the reason that other animals don’t have this capability?
My mother often tells me that if my dog could talk, my secrets would be revealed. She is, in fact, absolutely correct. He is, after all, my biggest confidante. However, this often makes me think. Why can’t animals talk like us? A number of movies depict or are based on such scenarios, where animals are talking not just to each other, but to humans too. So why isn’t this actually possible? Or rather, what confers on us the ability to communicate in this way?
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Communication and Talking: What do they mean?
Communication and talking can be quite ambiguous, so let me clarify what I mean. Every species communicates. It is their key to survival. Even single-celled organisms have the ability to communicate. This communication doesn’t have to be in the form of the spoken word. It could be done through actions, gesticulations, chemicals, sounds, or even dances! When I say ‘talking’, I’m referring to the ability that humans have to not just say when they’re hungry, but also to discuss their upcoming weekend plans. Communication is usually inbuilt. A young creature doesn’t need to learn how to communicate from its parents. For instance, a cat doesn’t teach her kitten how to purr when its happy or hiss when its angry. A dog doesn’t need training to wag its tail when it’s happy, or to bark. Similarly, in humans, we shout out in pain or fear. This is innate behavior and doesn’t require teaching. However, our talking is something we do learn. We learn different languages from our parents, or from other humans.

(Photo Credit : Pixnio)
Why can’t animals talk?
Now that we have broken down, or simplified, the act of talking, it will be easier to answer the above question. When we think about why animals cannot talk, we need to figure out why they cannot perform the two comprising actions simultaneously. The word ‘simultaneously’ is essential, as there have been animals known to perform either one of the 2 functions, but that cannot be considered “talking”. For instance, parrots can mimic the sounds made by humans. Alternatively, there are animals, like whales, which teach their young ones their songs. However, these have no specific meaning behind them.

Parrots can mimic the sound made by humans (Photo credit : Pixabay)
Foxp2: A fascinating gene
Another factor that gives us this ability is the gene FOXP2. This gene is responsible for the activation of some of our other genes. Dysfunctional genes lead to speech and language problems. Since this gene activates other genes, it’s still not clear which gene(s) is responsible for speech and language. Another theory, presented by Elaine Morgan, says that our ability to talk is also partially due to our evolutionary path. She says that we evolved from aquatic apes, rather than directly from the tree climbers. Due to the phase of the aquatic apes, we learnt to consciously control our breathing, which enables us to make the sounds required for talking.

Whales teach their young ones their songs (Photo Credit : Wikimedia Commons)
Do you know why animals can’t talk like humans?
