"But animals don't always speak with their mouths," wrote Hugh Lofting. To me, as a child, those words contained infinite possibilities. They got me thinking about what language is: how many ways can thoughts be communicated, preserved, and passed down? I won't accuse Dr. Dolittle of making me a professor of classical languages, but I think those words contributed their bit. I have kept my fascination with animals and their languages, though I have never approached the doctor's expertise. I have, however, learned a few phrases in basic rabbit, and I can (and do) follow orders in cat.