Animals speaking via Awakening?

[Atlas333]

I was rereading Tress and the Emerald Sea and this section caught my eye. 

(Not really a spoiler in my opinion as I feel it doesn't give any plot stuff away but essentially there's a passage that implies awakening can give animals the ability to speak)

Spoiler

"a familiar.”
“A what?”
“Powerful users of Investiture—magic, if you prefer—are often
associated with talking animals. I’ve noticed you have similar lore in
your world. Is it not so?”
“I suppose,” Tress said, thinking back to nursery stories.
“I’ll admit,” Ulaam said, rolling up his sleeve again and getting out
a scalpel, “that on some worlds, my own species is the cause of these
rumors. I don’t think that is the case here, however, nor do I think
they are the result of an Awakener’s arts.
 - page 203

This is interesting because it implies a side of awakening we haven't seen yet (I'm sure there's much more to this magic system we haven't seen yet). Anyway, I'm curious because it sparks new questions. 

Is this possible by giving a specific command (such as "speak" or "speak as though you were human") or could it be an effect of achieving a certain threshold of breaths like a heightening?  Finally, if an animal can speak can they awaken? 

That last one is almost too ridiculous to believe but it sounds theoretically possible although I doubt they would be good at it unless they also get increased intelligence somehow. I would love to hear other thoughts on the subject.

Edited June 17, 2024 by Atlas333
added spoiler tag

[Treamayne]

12 hours ago, Atlas333 said:

I was rereading Tress and the Emerald Sea and (spoilers):

Spoiler

(Not really a spoiler in my opinion as I feel it doesn't give any plot stuff away but essentially there's a passage that implies awakening can give animals the ability to speak)

TotES Ch 28 (page 203):

Quote

"a familiar.”
“A what?”
“Powerful users of Investiture—magic, if you prefer—are often
associated with talking animals. I’ve noticed you have similar lore in
your world. Is it not so?”
“I suppose,” Tress said, thinking back to nursery stories.
“I’ll admit,” Ulaam said, rolling up his sleeve again and getting out
a scalpel, “that on some worlds, my own species is the cause of these
rumors. I don’t think that is the case here, however, nor do I think
they are the result of an Awakener’s arts.
 - page 203

 

 

Definitely needs a spoiler tag, since it is non-Warbreaker material being discussed in the Warbreaker Forum. (See policy references below)

In fact you should probably spoiler more of what you wrote. (see above example)

Spoiler Policy   Sharder FAQ

12 hours ago, Atlas333 said:

1. Is this possible by giving a specific command (such as "speak" or "speak as though you were human") or
2. could it be an effect of achieving a certain threshold of breaths like a heightening? 
3. Finally, if an animal can speak can they awaken? 

1. First, there is no guarantee the quoted passage is referencing Nalthian Awakening or BioChroma (See WoB Below). 
2. I doubt Breaths alone woulc create this affect, as they primarily exist in the Physical Realm (which is why they create teh Breath Aura, and part of the reason they are so easily transferred) and for Sentience or Sapience to develop the Investiture has to be in the Cognitive or Spiritual Realm (See SA Spoiler Below) 
3. Unlikely, as just speaking is not enough, they would have to have enough intelligence and congnition to us Command and Intent, purposefully and correctly. 

WoBs and Spoilers for Stormlight Archive, YatNP, Warbreaker:

Spoiler

Quote

Argent

There's smoke involved, there's eating of souls, there's a whole bunch of things. So what I do want to ask is: one, was the father machine Awakened using Breaths, using Nalthian Awakening? Or are you using Awakening as Lightweaving or Bondsmithing which is an overarching system in the Cosmere?

Brandon Sanderson

It's the second. This wouldn't exist in the pre-space-age as much; by space age there's a certain terminology that is going between... basically it's starting with the arcanists and moving to the general population. What certain themes in the Cosmere magics mean. And so when Hoid says "this is an Awakened machine" his audience understands what that means. It does not necessarily mean Breaths Awaken, but Breaths are one of the main ways that people see things be Awakened. You should be noticing those parallels, but that's a term that in the Cosmere is becoming genericized to mean un-living object being given some measure of sentience and even sapience by application of Investiture, Commands, and these sorts of things. By this point they've all interacted with various Awakened machines of sorts in the future Cosmere. They know what this means. They've talked to an Awakened computer.

<Edited for length and Relevance>

Shardcast Interview (July 30, 2023)

Awakening is the process of using Investiture to grant Sentience, Sapience and/or motility to something that does not have that trait(s) natively - BioChroma is the best known way to Awaken, but not the only way. We know AonDor can Awaken, as can the Nahel Bond (As that is why Rhyshadium are gaining Sapience):

Quote

Questioner

The Ryshadium mounts. Are they actually-- Is there an actual bond, like the Nahel bond?

Brandon Sanderson

They are slightly Invested through a symbiotic relationship on Roshar that gives them better-than-average animal intelligence.

Salt Lake City ComicCon 2017 (Sept. 22, 2017)

Quote

Questioner

Does Gallant's eyes being rainbow have any cosmere significance?

Brandon Sanderson

It is an indication of his spren bond; it's a way that I was getting across that. A lot of times, when you see kind of mother-of-pearl or a rainbow shimmer of luminescence, that is an indication of something happening with Investiture in the cosmere. You'll see it in White Sand being used; you see it periodically in manifestations of the Nahel bond, and that sort of thing.

Tor Instagram Livestream (Nov. 25, 2020)

Quote

Phantine

Could you train your pet parrot to Awaken things, if it learned to say the necessary Commands?

Brandon Sanderson

Afraid not. Intention is important.

/r/books AMA 2015 (Aug. 23, 2015)

 

Hope that helps

Edited June 17, 2024 by Treamayne
SPAG