There are 4 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1a. Cat Language (was: Prairie Dog Language - and Other Interesting Misc
From: Padraic Brown
1b. Re: Cat Language (was: Prairie Dog Language - and Other Interesting
From: R A Brown
1c. Re: Cat Language (was: Prairie Dog Language - and Other Interesting
From: Padraic Brown
2a. Re: Prairie Dog Language - no, really.
From: Christophe Grandsire-Koevoets
Messages
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1a. Cat Language (was: Prairie Dog Language - and Other Interesting Misc
Posted by: "Padraic Brown" elemti...@yahoo.com
Date: Tue Jul 9, 2013 3:55 pm ((PDT))
> From: Garth Wallace <gwa...@gmail.com>
>
>On Mon, Jul 8, 2013 at 10:55 AM, R A Brown <r...@carolandray.plus.com> wrote:
>
>> about the language of cats. I remember almost nothing about
>> it now, except that it was claimed verbs existed with
>> indicative and imperative mood.
>
>Why would cats have an imperative mood? It's not like they'd follow any
>commands.
Spoken by someone who has cléarly never been owned by a cat!
A typical exchange between a human (H) and a cat (C):
H: Here Binky Binky Binky! Come on kitty-cat!
C: [Ignores obviously lame attempt by H to attract the attention of a
wit-addled Dog]
H: [clicks fingers] Here Binky-Boo! I have a treat for Binky-Boo!
C: [Turns head to face H] Human, for the fourteen thousand eight hundred and
ninety
seventh time, my Name is not 'Binky', not 'Binky-Boo', nor indeed any one of the
forty nine inane epithets you regularly use in order to attract my attention.
My Name
is, in your language, Eye-of-Ra and also Son-of-Bast. You do well to offer me
Treats,
however, [narrows eyes slightly] I reserve the right to unretract my Claws in
order to
chastise you for your inappropriate familiarity.
H: [Rattles tin of Treats]
C: [Languidly arises from the Dais and deigns to grace H with his very
presence] [H hears
the Cat speak: "MAU"] Feed me the Treats now, Human. There's a good boy. Yes, I
like
the chicken ones. Give me another treat now. Ah, fish. Not as good as the
chicken, but
quite palatable. [Purrs] Quite possibly, I shall forgive you for your earlier
transgression.
C: [Arises once more and saunters over to door. Sits regally, regarding with
considerable
interest a small portion of the door jamb. Waits. Twitches tail with rising
impatience. Human
hears the Cat speak again: "MAU"] Open the door now, Human. I must go now and
survey
my Realm.
Padraic
Messages in this topic (18)
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1b. Re: Cat Language (was: Prairie Dog Language - and Other Interesting
Posted by: "R A Brown" r...@carolandray.plus.com
Date: Tue Jul 9, 2013 11:31 pm ((PDT))
On 09/07/2013 23:55, Padraic Brown wrote:
>> From: Garth Wallace
>
>> On Mon, Jul 8, 2013 at 10:55 AM, R A Brown wrote:
>>
>>> about the language of cats. I remember almost
>>> nothing about it now, except that it was claimed
>>> verbs existed with indicative and imperative mood.
>>
>> Why would cats have an imperative mood? It's not like
>> they'd follow any commands.
>
> Spoken by someone who has cléarly never been owned by a
> cat!
>
> A typical exchange between a human (H) and a cat (C):
I assumed those long years ago that it was being claimed
that the imperative mood was for communicating with other
cats. IIRC the speaker was claiming cats had language of
sorts for inter-feline communication.
FWIW those interested might read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_communication
I'm wishing I hadn't mentioned this less than
half-remembered talk on the radio from the 1950s. Obviously
conlangers find cats more interesting than prairie dogs.
Though I can't help thinking that animals which live in
social groups may have developed more interesting modes of
communication. But I think Dr. Con Slobodchikoff's claims
are bit OTT.
We don't of course have these little critters this side of
the Pond, but they do look a lot cuter than the cats that
visit my garden ;)
--
Ray
==================================
http://www.carolandray.plus.com
==================================
"language
began with half-musical unanalysed expressions
for individual beings and events."
[Otto Jespersen, Progress in Language, 1895]
Messages in this topic (18)
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1c. Re: Cat Language (was: Prairie Dog Language - and Other Interesting
Posted by: "Padraic Brown" elemti...@yahoo.com
Date: Wed Jul 10, 2013 7:19 am ((PDT))
> From: R A Brown <r...@carolandray.plus.com>
>
>>>> about the language of cats. I remember almost
>>>> nothing about it now, except that it was claimed
>>>> verbs existed with indicative and imperative mood.
>>>
>>> Why would cats have an imperative mood? It's not like
>>> they'd follow any commands.
>>
>> Spoken by someone who has cléarly never been owned by a
>> cat!
>>
>> A typical exchange between a human (H) and a cat (C):
>
> I assumed those long years ago that it was being claimed
> that the imperative mood was for communicating with other
> cats. IIRC the speaker was claiming cats had language of
> sorts for inter-feline communication.
Well, clearly, there must be some use for some sort of imperative
structure when communicating inter pares; but, really, how often
do you actually commánd your wife to do this or that? One can
presume that the Chief Ratter will naturally order his subordinates
to hunt down this tribe of rats or parley with that one, but as
among any society where grace and good manners command
the premium, one simply does not order one's equals about!
Nay! It is with the subordinate classes in society --- dogs, rats,
birds, humans and other assorted chattels --- that the Cat most
naturally and assuredly inflicts with the imperative.
> FWIW those interested might read:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_communication
>
> I'm wishing I hadn't mentioned this less than
> half-remembered talk on the radio from the 1950s. Obviously
> conlangers find cats more interesting than prairie dogs.
Not more interesting, really. All animal communication is of
interest for a conlanger. But in all honesty, most of us have or
have had a cat or dog in our company. Not many can claim to
have a village of prairie dogs in their living rooms!
> Though I can't help thinking that animals which live in
> social groups may have developed more interesting modes of
> communication. But I think Dr. Con Slobodchikoff's claims
> are bit OTT.
Quite possibly. The WP article on prairie dogs contains a couple
highly interesting snippets from travelogues that involve meetings
with these most garrulous of chaps. If cats are accustomed to
ordering their servant-humans about; then prairie dogs are every
bit as at home with dutch-door and kitchen window gossip that
would put any number of village gammers to shame!
> We don't of course have these little critters this side of
> the Pond, but they do look a lot cuter than the cats that
> visit my garden ;)
Just as well. They'd dig up your garden in no time at all!
Padraic
> Ray
Messages in this topic (18)
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________________________________________________________________________
2a. Re: Prairie Dog Language - no, really.
Posted by: "Christophe Grandsire-Koevoets" tsela...@gmail.com
Date: Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:51 am ((PDT))
On 8 July 2013 20:58, Adam Walker <carra...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Yes, we discovered this mutual Buddy-ownedness previously.
So we did indeed! Sorry, these last weeks my memory's been a real... eh,
what do you call it? Full of holes... not cheese... You can put things in
it, foodstuff to separate from other stuff... Ah yes, a sieve!
> And yes, my
> Dalmatian uses his cuteness to excuse whatever badness he may have
> committed. Him will dishappy when him figureoutes dat I has tolded him's
> seekwets. And no. I do *not* act goofy with/about my dog. Ever.
>
>
Of course not! I don't either. Just like I never fall for my dog's "I don't
have any idea what you're talking about"-look of innocence :P. He is also
very clear at communicating when he takes over my place on the sofa: "what
do you mean you were sitting here just a moment ago? I've been lying on
this very spot all day! What do you mean you heard me climb just as you
went to the kitchen? That's crazy talk!". It's impressive how much he can
communicate with two wide eyes, a smile, and free-range ears :P.
> Adam who is just an old hum(b)ans, but he is a adaquate servants for a
> doggy who is 12
>
>
Buddy's going on 12 as well. But I like to think of myself more as his pal
than his servant though :P.
--
Christophe Grandsire-Koevoets.
http://christophoronomicon.blogspot.com/
http://www.christophoronomicon.nl/
Messages in this topic (18)
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