Cats and language (was Re: What is language? (was: OT hominids))
| From: | Jörg Rhiemeier <joerg_rhiemeier@...> |
|---|
| Date: | Wednesday, January 4, 2006, 20:06 |
|---|
Hallo!
R A Brown wrote:
> [etc snipped]
>
> Hanuman's mail reminded that there was a broadcast sometime in the 1950s
> on the 'BBC Third Programme' (as it was called then) about the language
> of cats. Alas, I remember next to nothing about the broadcast, except
> that the presenter claimed that cat verbs had two moods: indicative and
> imperative.
Reminds me... in Matt Ruff's novel _Fool on the Hill_, it is said
that cats understand human language, and some can even read.
This is the reason why cats, unlike dogs who are impressed by
what humans do (because they don't understand human language),
realize that humans aren't really all that awesomely smart and
only interact with humans by their own terms.
Greetings,
Jörg.