[BNW] Aquarian Communication

["Wyldsong" <wyldsong@provide.net>]

    Normal human-like speech is impossible due to how our vocal cords are
set up (in order to communicate like a dolphin they'd have to touch the
water to transmit properly) and we're unable to properly use sign language
unless the observer is aware that he should look in our direction (the deaf
often turn a light on or off to get a room's attention), nor could we use
the cephalopods chromatosome control to communicate (rapidly shifting
colors).
    Since telepathy is out (another Delta power), and scent is so limited,
we figure that the Darwinian theory that nature conserves energy is the
accurate one hence Aquarians, who were at an earlier stage in their
developement terrestrial mammals, would follow a similar DNA conservation
trend as cetaceans and utilize sound to communicate. The only reason that
normal humans cannot create decent sound underwater is that if water is in
contact with their vocal cords then they are in immediate danger of
drowning. This restriction, which I feel has been overlooked, is not present
in Aquarian deltas. Sound travels farther underwater due to its density and
actually is a superior medium for sound conduction than air. Very minor
adaptation of the human vocal apparatus would allow the Aquarian to speak
underwater, if not in an entirely human-like way, then one would assume that
after their one year acclimation period they would have learned to interpret
this new "language" as a dialect of their native tongue.
    The Aquarian sense of hearing should not be ignored, since by their very
adaptation to the aquatic morphology, would be different as well. Though
fully within the range of human hearing while on land, while submerged the
Aquarian would be sensitive to a broader range of audible frequencies, able
in fact to discern ultra- and infra-sound to a certain degree. These
acoustic frequencies travel longer distances under water more efficiently
than the normal human vocal range, and studies suggest that simple, repeated
tones vocallized in sub-sonic frequencies would travel through fresh water
approximately 100 meters before beginning to lose their cohesion.
    One of my collegues has suggested training Aquarians as cetacean
relations specialists because of their expanded auditory and vocal ranges.
The future of translating the dolphin's and whale's complex song may rest
squarely in their webbed hands.

    ~The Naturalist, Delta Genius, PhD