Can Changelings speak?

[ggg-2 3,553]

As far as i remember, the only Changeling shown to be able to speak is Chrysalis.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,621]

I have a strong feeling that they can. Seeing as how Chrysalis is their 'mother' I assume she can teach them all how to speak quickly, with the hive mind and all. I bet they just let the grand overseer do all the talking, that being Chrysalis.

[Guest]

The comics have shown them speaking.

[ggg-2 3,553]

The comics have shown them speaking.

Comics have their own canon, so i don't count that. It DOES follow show canon, but takes certain......"liberties". (making Shining Armor's magic blue instead of pink like Twiley's for example.)

[cmarston1 5,959]

I like to believe that they can.

[Swifty 249]

They can laugh, they can understand Pinkie, they should be able to speak if they shapeshift.

Edited June 12, 2016 by Swifty

[Jeric 46,852]

As far as i remember, the only Changeling shown to be able to speak is Chrysalis.

They have been shown to talk in Pony form when they mimicked Twilight. One of them laughed after touching down. So yes they can talk and apparently have some form of natural vocal projection. If the hive mind theory is true, they may not need to speak often (also explains how they can speak easily in unison).

[FullmoonDagger 200]

In my headcannon, they can't because their mouth is more like the Preadators and insects. They speak with each other with clicks and when they're transformed, they can't either because it's just an illusion, not really a body transformation.

[silvadel 1,393]

Sure they can speak -- remember in the cutie remark where Chrysalis was attacking Zecora's Safe-Place.  You saw regular changelings talk.

[twiia 1,843]

I think none of them can speak except for Chrysalis. The rest of them probably just aren't able to speak, not that they aren't smart enough to learn...

[Guest]

My headcanon is that they can't. They're insect-like so I think they would be able to use something else for communicating. 

 

They speak with each other with clicks and when they're transformed, they can't either because it's just an illusion, not really a body transformation.

 

This for example is a good theory.

[SFyr 1,982]

Honestly, even going by their role of impersonation, they would likely have to speak. Any creature that impersonates somepony without being able to use basic communication would be pretty terrible at their job, and probably end up starving--basically I think speaking is a given by how they're designed as a species, and basic mimicry would still only get them a very short distance before discovery and failure of their directive.

 

I think it's a whole other matter if their mentally/emotionally "compatible" to ponies, however; you can fake a lot of the subtleties of character and emotion in your actions if you're both really good at it, and understand the more subtle cues people give. I think it's hard to judge how they think, if it's anything like ponies, or if emotions/ponylike-interactions even come naturally to them. Heck, they could be entirely animalistic and instinct-driven, but with a sentient level of social ability and perception. You can be insect-like and still socially complex/skilled, I'm sure, just as you can be hugely intelligent without "understanding" emotion, or strongly self-aware while having little to no concept of interacting with others.

[The Traveler 0]

Bruh, does nobody remember that in cannon Thorax speaks to Spike in The Times They Are A Changling?? 

[ggg-2 3,553]

3 minutes ago, The Traveler said:

Bruh, does nobody remember that in cannon Thorax speaks to Spike in The Times They Are A Changling?? 

You realize this topic is years old and was made before Thorax's debut, right?

[Will Guide 21,360]

Checking the dates this topic came out June 12th 2016, while the episode that flat out shows a talking Changeling in Thorax come out in August 20, 2016.

In other words this topic became incorrect/misleading in less than 2 months! Lol 

7 minutes ago, ggg-2 said:

You realize this topic is years old and was made before Thorax's debut, right?

Just barely

[Will Guide 21,360]

On 2016-06-12 at 6:33 AM, ggg-2 said:

Comics have their own canon, so i don't count that. It DOES follow show canon, but takes certain......"liberties". (making Shining Armor's magic blue instead of pink like Twiley's for example.)

You do realize they made Shining armor's magic blue to match his eye color, which is the standard in the show for most unicorns to have their magic aura match their eye color

[The Traveler 0]

My mistake, I was reading the dates wrong.

[ggg-2 3,553]

I'd like this topic closed please, it honestly hasn't been relative in years. 

[ZiggWheelsManning 10,645]

The only thing wrong is they don't speak alien.