If organizisms adapt to their enviroment, will domestic pets develop the ability to speak human language?
403510
If there is a selective pressure to do so, then perhaps, given enough generations, this will occur. I consider this pretty unlikely. Even if it did happen, evolution is a slow process, and it would take, at the least, tens of thousands or even millions of years.\n\nMore likely, in the next few centuries, someone will genetically engineer pets to do such.\n\nOh, and it's organisms, not organizisms.
192045
This is a very good question. Also I can tell for a change it is not a homeworkk question (thank you).\n\nIt's weird ,isn't it? Humanity in less than 10,000 years from our first civilization until now, monkies in that time have done nothing. Makes you wonder, doesn't it? The only thing I can think of is our larger brains. So will any animal ever reach our level of advancement? I doubt it. Some animals do communicate with each other. Some animals have hands like you said so they could build houses with those hands and tools, but they don't. Maybe humanity is the like the Chosen Ones, and can do so much more than animals.
64641
Animals and plants develope unique features that help them to adapt to their enviroment.
49417
Only humans are really capable of conveying ideas through language. If there were no language, humans would probably develop a way to communicate using signs. If there were no language to begin with, we would just communicate like other animals: wolves by howling, whales by emmitting ultra-high frequency waves, or like birds by "singing" and chirping.
675603
well... if u want to know the scientific reason , they have got a sound box called `syrinx' where we have the "larynx".\nand no..they are not talking. they do not have a broca`s area for that ., it only developed in humans..    communicating yes.as for the ranges of their sound, each one is meant for diff. purposes.(feeding, mating).this is my surmise. anyway, its a lovely ques..
905879
They might not be able to get Down's, but they can be retarded. Like humans, they run the entire bell curve in intelligence. I had a hamster once who was obviously a genius in the hamster world and have had several cats who obviously had mental illnesses.
1046560
No.\n\nCarry a hedgehog as well. That ought to do it.
724046
no such - the phrase can be found as - advanced mammal like reptile or advanced mammal studies\n\nbut since it is homework then your teacher is probably looking for something like HUMAN as in an advanced ( on an evolutionary scale ) mammal ( teachers can be wrong too )
775390
Wild or animals that don't have constant contact with humans don't show that type of emotion.  But housepets do show some type of affection and or acknowledgement for humans.
595390
It makes sense, I mean anything is possible. Dialects are passed on form one person to another in various cultures. I never though about it but why not with animals. It probably wouldn't be as obvious because there isn't the numbed of different words to observe but why not!
1133419
I believe that the animal language is less of a vocal one and more of a visual one... The tone of a dogs bark normally doesn't change nor how it changes pitch...\n\nNow if you are talking about a dolfine or a larger animal that does have a speach pattern that changes.. The probly so.
451713
While in dogs most of the communication they do would translate, there are some animals that definitely do show dialects in their calls.\n\nOrcas are the most obvious example.  Different pods have totally different repetoires of calls, whistles, grunts and clicks, and when a whale from a different pod is encountered, the new whale may be shunned or moved to the bottom of the pecking order until he learns the new dialect.
1153978
Great question, Sassy!  ( And, I'd just like to add that You're a Gorgeous Woman! Wooow!!! )\n\nYou "would" think that apes & gorillas could reproduce simple voice words...but, they cannot.  However, they do understand human words & visual symbols...They certainly understand the meaning of various vocal sounds between one another...Maybe the missing 2 chromosomes are essential for speech? )\n\nBirds that "talk" are just imitating/mimicking phrases that are repeated to them over-and-over again.
81943
I beg to differ with andyman_69. Other animals use tools. Other animals have languages. What is interesting is that so far, humans have not had much luck at deciphering their languages and have had more success at teaching them ours, either sign language or recently, to even use typewritten words displayed on a computer screen to communicate. \n\nOn top of this, there are many other behaviors that we share in common with our closest animal relatives. More than we would care to admit, I suspect. Then there is the remarkable genetic evidence that is slowly becoming more and more impressive. \n\nIt is all extremely interesting. What interests me more, is, what is consciousness? Do only humans have it? Or only a small number of other species?\n\nAnd if that is so, why? \n\nIf God did it, how? \n\nAnd I am not just referring to biblical references, but hard data and evidence that we can test in the laboratory.
960693
I would say so.\n\nIt's been shown as well that seniors who have pets live longer. Whether it's the social aspect or having the responsibility of caring for them, I don't know.
182789
Huamns and the apes evolved from the same roots, but along different pathways.\n\nThe evolution of speech is based at least partly on social need. Small, tight knit groups of apes communicate with simple gestures and touches- that is all they need to pass info back and forth. As the group gets larger and more spread out, there is a need to be able to communicate different things in different ways. These apes get more and more vocal as the social structure gets more complex and spread-out.\n\nMost animals communicate perfectly well for their needs- within their species and with other species. Why would a species develop a need to communicate with us outside of 'get away', etc.- which they manage to communicate quite nicely now?
854000
Absolutely....they communicate with each other, as well as humans.  Maybe we can't tell exactly what they're saying, but they're trying.  My cats talk to me all the time, and just like a baby has different cries....my cats have different meows!