Could animals talk?

[Gurthang]

In The Hobbit, don't the wolves talk to each other at their meeting? It says that the dwarves and Bilbo could not understand them, but that Gandalf heard what they said. It then gives an account of what Gandalf heard.

Now, that seems to be pretty hard evidence that animials did have thought and conversation, at least among themselves. Gandalf understanding them could be because he was a Maia, or he could have learned from Radagast. Regardless, the wolves did communicate to each other with sound, which could be called speaking.

But this brings out another question. Does this even count? The wolves, although talking to each other, were not speaking in tongues that most people could understand. So basically, would we consider the wolves' growls/barks/whimpers to be 'talking' as we are defining it. This would be very similar to the clicks and whistles that dolphins use to 'talk'. It's obviously communication with sound, but do we dare call it talking?

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

The word talking does get hijacked by humans and kept in a tiny little locker for their own private use. I think that animals talk to each other but some people might get technical and refute that claim.

But as for Wargs, it is well known that they can master any language quite easily if they put their minds to it.

[Sharpis Corbis]

Thanks everyone for helping me get this issue straight. I also feel rather stupid for forgetting the spiders in The Hobbit, and the Great Eagles, now that I think about it a little more I can remeber those. When Legolas was whispering comforts to the horse in the Paths of the Dead, wasn't that the only horse that came along?

[Hookbill the Goomba]

No, all of the dunedain, Aragorn and the others all went on horseback. There was a long way to ride between the stone of Erech and Lebennin. Aragor told them that the horses would have to suffer the paths as well, because of the long leagues ahead.

Moving back to the talking issue, I seem to remember there being something after the Barrow downs adventure, when Tom Bombadill tells them that his old Fatty Lumpkin had communicated with the other ponies. If someone can find the exact passage, that would be appreciated, as I’m away from my own copy at the moment.

[Hot, crispy nice hobbit]

Heh, I'm back... and so are my spanners.

Its not just animals that speak, ya know?

It was! Trolls' purses are the mischief, and this was no exception. ''Ere, 'oo are you?' it squeaked, as it left the pocket; and William turned round at once and grabbed Bilbo by the neck, before he could duck behind the tree.

- Roast Mutton (The Hobbit)

There you have it... Trolls' purses can talk too.

[Tuor of Gondolin]

About Fatty Lumpkin communicating with the hobbit horses,
as frequently with Tom B. it's rather vague, but provocative:

When your ponies stayed with me, they got to know my Lumpkin; and they smelt him in the night, and quickly ran to meet him. I thought he'd look for them and with his words of wisdom take all their fear away.

(Literal words, or horse sense )