Talking to things that are not human

[Ivan Seeking]

Main Question or Discussion Point

Do you talk to your dog or cat as if they were a person? Do you think that they understand you; to what extent? How about the bird or hamster...or the goldfish? :uhh: Plants? The computer? The cars? Paint cans? Centerfolds?

 

[kaos]

I shout obscenities at my computer when it aint working too well.

 

[Astronuc]

Sure I talk to my cats and dog, which is actually more vocalization since they prefer to use their native language rather than English . Our male cut, my buddy Chester, is quite vocal, especially around meal time, but also when he comes to bed. He likes to rub faces with me whenever he gets on the bed.

Our female cat, Misty, is relatively quiet, but she does meow at mealtimes and other times just of the blue. But I talk to her and she comes to me for a rub.

I ask our Yorkie, Sassy, if she wants 'to go out' or if she is 'hungry' and now she is trained to those cues.

We chirp and whistle with the parakeet, Peter, who sings.

I don't talk to plants, but I do spend quality time with them.

I don't take to inanimate objects, but I do swear sometimes, or I make some immovable thing move. Which reminds me I fractured a 17 mm socket this weekend working on the brakes of the car.

 

[Monique]

We would ask our dogs whether the coffee was ready yet (is de koffie dan al klaar???!!!!) when we would come home after a trip, the dogs would go completely mad and start jumping all over the place :rofl:

 

[FredGarvin]

Our siamese, Elvis, is very vocal. I can swear I hear inflections in his meows to get his points across. We definitely understand each other.

 

[Artman]

Oh gosh yes...excuse me a second, my shoes are asking me a question.

Okay, I'm back...uh, I forgot the topic...Oh yeah, talking to things that are not human. Sure, doesn't everyone?

 

[hypatia]

I speak both cat and dog fluently, and I'm working on bird. I talk to my plants, and make sure my trees know that they are well respected for there age and wisdom.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Nearly everyday I sit and invent replies to completely inanimate paragraphs that appear out of nowhere on the internet.

 

[Smurf]

I talk to myself all the time, is that human?

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I mostly just talk to my self too. I had a girlfriend tell me that it isn't normal until she realized that she did it too. So I told her that talking to yourself and not realizing it is what isn't normal.

I talk to animals. I don't think I have had one really understand me though except for when I tell a dog to sit or something of that sort. The cat talks to me. The only things it says that I understand are "I want attention" and "I'm hungry". That's about all it says too.

 

[pattylou]

I gave it up when I had kids.

I think we're wired to do a certain amount of talking every day, and I think women are wired for more than men.

When I had a baby, I started talking to the baby. When she started talking back, "why?" "why?" "why?" "why?" "why?" "why?" "why?" "why?" "why?" "why?"

.... I ran out of words real quick. None to spare on the odd skillet or car anymore. I do occasionally talk to the radio, if it's being really stupid. I occasionally talk to drivers in other cars, particularly if they have certain bumper stickers.

 

[Gale]

well of course i talk to my pets, and most of my plants, especially Jesus my venus fly trap. At camp, i talked to a fish shaped lollipop. I discovered that he was french, and that his name was francisco. he was a ring pop, so i wore him all day, and francisco and i would chit chat with the campers. they adored him. we ended up writing a son about him. "this is a story bout a little french fish, who lived on me finger and 'e give french kiss" it was really cute!

i also have a little einstein doll that i chat with when there's no other intelligent conversation around.

but other than that, i never talk to non-human things.

 

[matthyaouw]

I talk to my pets all the time (guinea pigs and fish). I know damn well they don't understand, so I guess I'm really talking to myself, but giving the impression of company.

 

[Smurf]

In response to "Do you believe they can understand you" I believe that animals, namely dogs, can. Not in the literal sense, but a dog is fully capable of understanding tone, after all dog's barks are mainly based on tone. There's an angry bark, a sad whimper, a "Pay attention to me!" bark. I don't know of any scientific studies on them, but it seems perfectly reasonable to assume that a dog understands when you're angry with it.

 

[Pengwuino]

Do you talk to your dog or cat as if they were a person? Do you think that they understand you; to what extent? How about the bird or hamster...or the goldfish? :uhh: Plants? The computer? The cars? Paint cans? Centerfolds?

I have highly engaging discussions with my desk. He brings up some good points.

 

[Pengwuino]

In response to "Do you believe they can understand you" I believe that animals, namely dogs, can. Not in the literal sense, but a dog is fully capable of understanding tone, after all dog's barks are mainly based on tone. There's an angry bark, a sad whimper, a "Pay attention to me!" bark. I don't know of any scientific studies on them, but it seems perfectly reasonable to assume that a dog understands when you're angry with it.

Wonder what would happen if you said "I LOVE YOU *dogs name*" in a real pissed off tone

 

[matthyaouw]

Wonder what would happen if you said "I LOVE YOU *dogs name*" in a real pissed off tone

My (scottish) great uncle has a dog that will bark in an annoyed way if you yell "Damned English!" at it.
(Actually, it will bark if you yell the word 'damned' in an annoyed tone, no matter what you follow it with. "damned English is just his preferred example.)

 

[Nylex]

I talk to the cat, but most of the time she just stares at me looking confused .

 

[Artman]

My dog has distinct sounds she makes when there are animals in the yard. A kind of high excited yippy bark we call her "bunny bark" is reserved for rabbits, a low throaty growl is reserved for cats, a more forward sounding bark is for possums. I can tell by the bark what kind of animal is in the yard.

Also, if we just say the word cat, raven, ax murderer, or squirrel, she will growl.

While walking her, if we say, "Get the cat!" she starts moving faster and looking around for a cat.

She is very smart and very accutely tuned to tone of voice.

To give you an idea of just how smart this dog is, my wife taught her to tell her right side from her left (I can't even do that half the time ). She puts a treat on both of her paws and tells her which one to take. The dog thinks a second then takes the correct one!

 

[EnumaElish]

My cousin's dogs (one husky, one border collie) could understand words like "food" and "walk" so they got excited upon hearing them. Mimi the cat understands positive feelings when talked to in a smooth, soothing voice, praising her qualities. Usually she is anxious about everything and keeps an uptight posture, but when someone talks to her so, she literally melts on the spot.

 

[setAI]

I MEOW at my cat and he meows back- I also coo at pigeons- caw at crows- bark and whine at my neighbor's dogs- and quack at the ducks in golden gate park across the street from my apt- back in the old 5.25" disk drive days I used to try and make the same clicks and whirs the drive made when it was unhappy-

I prefer to go native (^___^)

 

[loseyourname]

Wonder what would happen if you said "I LOVE YOU *dogs name*" in a real pissed off tone

I communicate with my dog solely through tone. Just for fun, I'll say "Max, you're the worst dog that's ever lived and I wish you would die," but I'll say it really nicely and he'll come over and jump on me and I'll pet him. We also communicate through hand signals. Instead of calling him to come over or go a certain place, if he can see me, I'll just point at him and then point at where I want him to go.

 

[eax]

I find pets understand hand gestures better than speeches. Especially when there is food in your hand :D

 

[zoobyshoe]

We also communicate through hand signals. Instead of calling him to come over or go a certain place, if he can see me, I'll just point at him and then point at where I want him to go.

Yes, but what are his hand signals to you?

 

[arildno]

I talk to myself occasionally; does that count?