Why animals can't talk (but almost can)
Let's explore whether animals can talk. And go to https://ground.news/robwords to see how language shapes our perspectives. Save 40% for unlimited access to the Vantage Plan through my link.
What accent would a talking monkey have? What does an elephant saying "Margaret" sound like? Can parrots really talk? And do giraffes say anything at all?
In this episode, let's explore the language of the animal kingdom. Through looking at the latest research, you'll learn just how close to talking some species already are, and what's stopping them speaking already.
?ROBWORDS LIVE?
11th April 2026. The Bloomsbury Theatre, London.
Tickets: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bloomsbury-theatre/events/2026/apr/evening-etymology-rob-words
?RESEARCH?
Talking macaques: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1600723#supplementary-materials
Humming giraffes: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13104-015-1394-3#Sec10
Elephant names: https://warnercnr.source.colostate.edu/elephants-have-names-like-people/
Camera:
Manuel Vering (the zoo bits)
Rob Watts (the bits in the forest)
?COOL TSHIRTS: https://robwords.com/shop
⭐️PATREON COMMUNITY: https://patreon.com/robwords
?FREE NEWSLETTER: https://www.robwords.com/newsletter
Check me out on the web, on Twitter & TikTok:
https://robwords.com
https://x.com/robwordsYT
https://tiktok.com/@robwords
What accent would a talking monkey have? What does an elephant saying "Margaret" sound like? Can parrots really talk? And do giraffes say anything at all?
In this episode, let's explore the language of the animal kingdom. Through looking at the latest research, you'll learn just how close to talking some species already are, and what's stopping them speaking already.
?ROBWORDS LIVE?
11th April 2026. The Bloomsbury Theatre, London.
Tickets: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bloomsbury-theatre/events/2026/apr/evening-etymology-rob-words
?RESEARCH?
Talking macaques: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1600723#supplementary-materials
Humming giraffes: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13104-015-1394-3#Sec10
Elephant names: https://warnercnr.source.colostate.edu/elephants-have-names-like-people/
Camera:
Manuel Vering (the zoo bits)
Rob Watts (the bits in the forest)
?COOL TSHIRTS: https://robwords.com/shop
⭐️PATREON COMMUNITY: https://patreon.com/robwords
?FREE NEWSLETTER: https://www.robwords.com/newsletter
Check me out on the web, on Twitter & TikTok:
https://robwords.com
https://x.com/robwordsYT
https://tiktok.com/@robwords
RobWords
Language facts and etymology fun.
This is a channel for lovers and learners of English. It'll tell you where the words we use come from and why we say the things we say.
As a newsreader on the TV and radio in the UK and Germany, I've built up an underst...